A Kingdom Under Control
by Zook024
Summary: After the return of Queen Elsa, life in Arendelle remains uneasy as the political ramifications resulting from a castle closed for years now fall to Elsa. Will she be able to unify the kingdom and it's people? Why were her parent's so afraid of her powers? And why do these newcomers not seem afraid of them? A tale of political intrigue that leads to new relationships and adventure.
1. Chapter 1 - The Good Girl

Chapter I – The Good Girl

The heavy castle doors were opened wide, decorated with a large holiday wreath on each, shining brilliantly with colorful ornaments and tinsel. Crowds of guests and dignitaries hustled quickly inside, anxious to escape from the blustery winter evening that welcomed them. Inside, the festivities were already underway with traditional holiday music filling the ballroom. As her guests migrated into the atrium below, Queen Elsa stood on the outside balcony overlooking the courtyard, basking in the cool crisp December night air.

With her eyes gently closed, she smiled as she heard Olaf introducing himself heartily to each guest below. Her thin silk dress blew freely in the breeze, briefly exposing her bare legs. Savoring a few minutes alone before attending the ball downstairs, the light breeze continued to blow around her as she leaned lightly against the railing, carefully stirring up her snow white hair that was tied up in her favorite braid. As she opened her eyes, she could see the approaching visitors bundled up in thick jackets and she once again heard a quick succession of greetings from Olaf below.

"Elsa my god aren't you freezing?"

She turned to the find the source of the familiar voice and saw Kristoff behind her, standing between the glass doors wearing his own winter jacket, hiding his formal evening attire. His light blonde hair had been pushed off his face and Elsa could not deny he looked much more presentable than his usual mountain man complexion .

"Oh right I forgot who I was talking to," he smiled, pulling his jacket tight as he closed the doors behind himself and walked out to the balcony. Elsa returned the smile and turned to look out over the crowds below once again. A few guests had now spotted her standing atop the balcony as they filed inside. Some waved; other didn't.

"It's going to be a big crowd tonight," Kristoff said as he reached the railing and stood beside her. "Are you sure you're up to this? You are the Queen after all; no one is forcing your hand."

Elsa smiled lightly, "I know, and I'm ready. Tonight is a chance to start thawing some hearts and with you and Anna by my side, everything will be fine."

"You know we can't always be there Elsa."

"I understand that Kristoff, believe me."

She turned to look at him and could see the concern in his eyes.

"I just don't want to see you hurt anymore," Kristoff replied, placing his hand atop her's which rested on the railing, feeling the cold touch of her soft skin. "Lord knows you have been through hell."

Elsa took a slow breath before responding. "My life hasn't exactly gone as smoothly as my parents may have hoped for. But despite everything I have gone through, everything I have done, I finally feel at home in this big old castle. You and Anna have your own lives, and I don't want my responsibilities and burdens to fall on you." She carefully removed her hand from beneath Kristoff's, leaving a cold numbness on his palm. He ignored it as he kept his hand on the railing.

"Elsa you know we will always love you and – "

"My lady?" A maid asked from the partially opened glass doors. "The guests have arrived and your presence is requested to formally open the festivities."

"Of course," replied Elsa, "I will be down shortly, and thank you."

Kristoff tried to continue, "Elsa please, if you need to talk about – "

"I appreciate the support Kristoff, I really do, but let's just try and enjoy ourselves tonight okay? After all I'm the Queen, and that's an order," Elsa said with a smile. Without allowing Kristoff to object any further she turned to the door and proceeded to walk back inside, her dress receiving one last gust of wind before escaping inside the glass doors.

But upon hearing the loud muffled roar of the crowd below, Elsa could feel the unforgiving anxiety slowly rising within her like boiling water in a teakettle. She held her hands close to her chest as she rounded the corner to the stairs, stopping to wait for her sister. Light frost radiated from her fingertips and hair as she concentrated on keeping it from growing stronger. "You'll be fine, trust me," Kristoff reaffirmed her, standing behind by the doors. Elsa offered him a weak smile in return but before she could reply she heard the now familiar sound of her younger sister running, closing in fast from the opposite hall. Anna came bursting out from the hallway, wearing her favorite holiday dress, one that Elsa found to be quite flattering and complimented her sister's rich brown hair well.

"Oh hey there you guys are! You ready Elsa? I can hardly wait!" Anna exclaimed excitedly, sliding to stop next to her sister and almost knocking her down the staircase. "Sure," Elsa replied calmly with the same weak smile she had given Kristoff. She had seen first-hand that after years of closed doors and separation, Anna had been unable to contain herself over the past few months. She was finally close with her sister again and with the winter holidays now in full swing, Anna had gone wild decorating the castle with the enthusiastic assistance of Olaf. Elsa took her sister's hand carefully and they proceeded down the stairs.

"I better see you down there!" Anna shouted behind her as they walked.

"Of course!" replied Kristoff remaining behind at the head of the staircase.

The muffled chatter of the crowd came into focus as the two royal sisters walked briskly down to the ballroom.

"Elsa your hand is ice cold, are you sure you're alright?" Anna whispered.

"I'm fine Anna, don't worry about me."

Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, all eyes were on them as the private conversations ended and their guests waited in anticipation. Elsa smiled lightly to the crowd as she walked with Anna to the front of the ballroom where the riser allowed them to overlook the room. As she saw the doors being closed to ward out the cold, Elsa spoke to the address the attentive crowd.

"Welcome everyone!" Elsa announced. "Welcome and thank you for attending this year's winter ball." The crowd proceeded to offered light applause, allowing some of the anxiety to evaporate from Elsa. "My sister and I are happy to open our home to celebrate the holidays with the good people of Arendelle, as well as those from across the seas. Tonight means a lot to us and I am happy to see so many faces here tonight – despite everything that has transpired over the past few years." A few murmurs arose as Elsa continued. "But the past is in the past. So please, enjoy yourselves this evening and thank you again for your attendance."

As Elsa concluded with her opening remarks, the crowd gave their light applause again and began to mingle as the music picked up where it had left off. Elsa turned to her sister, "not too bad right?"

"Couldn't have done it better myself," replied Anna with a smile. The pair turned to look out across the ballroom and survey the crowd. Despite what she had said in her remarks, Elsa was less than impressed with the crowd. _This is not the turnout I was hoping for, _Elsa thought to herself. Aside from the familiar faces seen around town and a few key foreign dignitaries, there were few new guests amongst the crowd. Standing with her sister, Elsa suddenly felt naked and exposed, feeling wandering eyes from the crowd looking at her suspiciously. Fortunately she soon saw a familiar face emerge from the crowd as Kristoff approached them.

"Ladies," he said, having now shed his winter coat. "Shall we dance?"

Elsa smiled, "well you know my policy."

"Oh please," replied Anna taking Kristoff's hand, "loosen up a little Elsa."

Before she could object her sister had already begun pulling Kristoff to the center of the ballroom where a few couples had begun to dance in methodical rhythm with the music. Elsa sighed, now standing by herself again. _Maybe you are right Anna, _she thought to herself as she stepped down from the riser and strolled through the crowds. Despite the festive and upbeat music, few guests were dancing and instead the majority remained standing, sharing in conversation and indulging on the hors d'oeuvres being served by the kitchen staff. Elsa took this as an opportunity to speak with a few friendly faces, walking around the room and shaking hands. But just as her sister had noticed, her handshake remained ice cold, causing many to express their concern for her. After the tenth inquiry of whether she was okay, Elsa was feeling quite the opposite and began looking for the nearest exit. She could once again feel the frost radiating from her hair has she hustled to the nearby glass doors that lead to the outside patio.

As she peered through the glass before stepping outside, she saw a gentleman standing alone with his back to her, looking out over the water. He stood in a relaxed position, leaning slightly against the column that supported the balcony above. She noticed that he was not wearing a hat to keep him warm, instead allowing the light wind to blow freely through his thick black hair that covered his ears, offering some protection from the cold Elsa surmised. He sported a unique ebony jacket that rested comfortably upon his shoulders and appeared to feature minor armor plating on the arms and around his torso. Elsa also noticed a thick hood attached to the collar, with matching slacks and boots completing his attire. She could not identify the man from behind but still anxious to escape outside she opened the door and joined him.

He did not seem to notice her at first as he maintained his gaze over the bay and Elsa could not blame him. With the clear sky above, the moon shone brightly over the water and reflected against the windows of the houses and shops across the way, making for an exceptionally beautiful night. She stepped wide to his left, allowing him to see her approach from the corner of his view without being startled. He saw the young woman walk over, wearing what appeared to be a very elegant dress and pair of glass heels.

"And what brings you out here this evening?" He asked the young woman, turning to look at her. Elsa could now see his face in the moonlight and immediately noticed the scar that ran down from his left eye and down to his cheek. Visibly worn by age, it was very distinctive and immediately made her curious. "Why just the fine weather of course," Elsa managed to reply, taking a step closer to the young man and attempting not to stare at his face too intensely.

"Well I can certainly appreciate that but you'll catch a cold out here dressed like that," he said, motioning with his hand to her thin dress. The girl really was well dressed and quite beautiful. Her light blue dress fit her well, draped over her shoulders and showing off her slender curves, leaving little to the imagination. But perhaps most striking was her thick snow white hair which was tied in a long braid that rested on her shoulder and lay on her chest.

"I doubt it," the girl said smiling.

"Oh yeah? And why is that?"

Elsa was surprised that he did not recognize her but quickly reasoned that he must have been from a distant nation. "I take it you are not from Arendelle are you?"

"I am not," he replied casually. "Are all the citizens of Arendelle as brave in the cold as you are?"

"Maybe some, but as the Queen I of course have to play the good girl and never show weakness."

As Elsa mentioned her title the young man's eyes quickly widened and he proceeded to offer a bow to her. "Oh, my lady," he stammered, clearly embarrassed of his mistake in identity. She laughed softly and placed her hand on his shoulder. "It's quite alright, I'm still getting used to being called Queen anyways. What is your name?"

The young man raised his head to look at her. "My name is Zack and it is an honor to meet you my lady."

"Please," she replied, lowering her hand before he could notice her cold touch, "call me Elsa."

"Of course – Elsa." The two exchanged a smile and Zack felt a gust of wind rush past, blowing the Queen's dress and exposing her right leg. Elsa caught his eyes look down ever so slightly before quickly returning to her face.

"So – where _are_ you from?"

He immediately turned his body away from her and seemed to consider the question. "I'd rather not say," replied hesitantly, keeping his gaze off her. "The reason I'm here is because I am looking for a place to stay in Arendelle."

"Oh really?" Elsa replied, now even more intrigued by the young man. "Any ideas where you plan on staying?"

"I'm not sure. I was hoping to find a place to crash somewhere in Amsterdam, seems like a nice enough town."

Elsa thought for a moment before replying. "Well you know, there is an older gentleman who moved here a few months ago as well, Esbern I believe his name is. He opened a small bookstore just across the way, he could probably use some help if that's your sort of thing – plus he may have a room upstairs."

Zack considered it. "Yeah that might be a good setup, I'll have to check it out."

"Great! Maybe then you can – "

Before she could continue a forceful knock came from behind them on the glass door. Elsa quickly turned around to see Kristoff looking at her, motioning for her to come inside.

"Would you excuse me for a moment?" Elsa asked her new acquaintance. He nodded and she proceeded to return to the ballroom.

"What is it?" Elsa asked Kristoff as she closed the door behind her.

"You've got to save me," Kristoff replied quickly, looking around himself.

"What are you talking about?"

"It's your sister! She is going to drive me crazy! She wants to introduce me to everyone and their cousin, you'd swear we were married! I told her I was going to check on Sven and I don't know how much time I have."

Elsa giggled lightly, "you better be careful Kristoff, she might just be telling people you _are _her husband."

"Yeah that's what I'm afraid of." He paused and looked at Elsa carefully. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm doing okay, met a new friend," she replied, turning slightly to the glass door behind her.

"Who?"

"Why Zack out there, he – "Elsa turned around to see that he had vanished from the marble porch outside. _Huh, that was quick_, she thought to herself.

"Well anyways, I'm glad to hear you're hanging in there," Kristoff replied. "I guess tonight turned out well for - oh crap!"

Elsa followed Kristoff's gaze to where he saw Anna scanning the room for him. Without finishing his sentence he gave Elsa a quick wave and slid in the opposite direction, trying his best to stay out of Anna's field of view. Elsa giggled again as she saw him move like a scared animal around a large gentleman with his back to her standing near the entrance of the ballroom. The man was instantly recognizable to her as he held a large reputation in Arendelle.

"Good evening Mr. Kingsley," she said to the man's back. He wore a thick winter coat crafted from a large bear pelt that looked like it had been through hell and back. The man turned slowly at the sound of her greeting with a glass in his hand and looked down slightly to see the Queen standing before him with a light smile on her face. _Who is this little bitch trying to fool? _He asked himself. James was in no mood to entertain the so-called Queen and he had even less patience with several drinks in him. "Likewise," he replied flatly, purposely not referencing her title.

"I'm glad to see you were able to make it this evening. I understand it must have been quite a long trip for you."

"Yeah well, my wife busted my ass about attending this little…party."

Ignoring his blatant rudeness Elsa continued. "Ah yes Mrs. Kingsley, how has she been? I trust she is enjoying the – "

"Look _your highness,_" Kingsley cut her off, using his free hand to rub his forehead and eyes. He quickly raised his voice, causing those around them to stop their private conversations and stare at the pair. "I don't how you managed to fool these poor bastards in town, but I don't believe a _girl, _unable to control herself is fit to rule over Arendelle."

Elsa's eyes quickly bore into the man, her temper immediately flaring. She clenched her fits, feeling the frost quickly materializing around her fingers and spreading over her entire hands.

"Sir you forget yourself."

"Hardly," he sneered. "I'll be damned if the so-called _royal family_ thinks hosting a little party will make everything sunshine and rainbows."

He threw his champagne glass to the floor, spilling his drink around Elsa's feet and shattering the glass into several large pieces. Upon contact with the marble surface it quickly froze in place with large pieces of glass becoming encased in frozen liquor. Those around them immediately gasped as they saw this, which also caused Kingsley to look down at the spectacle. Elsa however kept her eyes square on the man's face and saw the unmistakable look of fear in his eyes even as his expression remained fierce.

"I think you better leave," she said coldly, taking one step forward and keeping her fists clenched at her sides.

"Or what?" He replied, now looking back at her and keeping his demeanor as intimidating as possible. "Will you freeze my balls to the floor too?"

As he said this James could feel the temperature around him quickly beginning to drop.

"Don't give me any ideas," Elsa immediately shot back. Her hair was now emitting large waves of frost that danced off her head and into the open air above her. Anna was standing close by in shock as she saw her sister trading verbal blows with the man. _My god Elsa control yourself, he is not worth it, _she thought to herself as she saw the frost radiating from her.

"This is your last warning James. Show yourself out, or I will do it myself."

With their eyes now locked, Kingsley maintained his ground against the young woman that was easily a foot shorter than him. He smirked and pointed his finger at her as he continued to feel the temperature around him drop.

"This isn't over you little monster."

With this final charge Elsa took a second step forward and grabbed the large man by his jacket with both hands.

"Enough," she said forcibly as the frost from her hands began to spread onto his jacket and around his chest. His eyes widened as he saw himself quickly becoming covered in a layer of ice that spread outward from the Queen's hands. Before it could spread further the castle's guards ran over and grabbed him under his arms. Elsa released him and allowed the guards to escort him out the front door. Left to stand where she was, the Queen now looked at her hands and saw her powers pulsating. She looked up at the nearby crowds and saw the sheer terror in their eyes.

"Please," she stammered to them, "I – I am not a monster. I have this under control."

The room remained silent and without another word Elsa wrapped her arms around herself and ran for the stairs. In her wake remained a trail of black ice on the ballroom floor. Anna could only watch in horror as her sister dashed past her and up the staircase, taking the steps three at a time.

Anna was in shock as her sister ran past her, helpless to quench her sister's pain. In a matter of seconds their otherwise joyous evening had come crashing down around them and the man responsible was now being led out the front gate, seemingly getting off easy. Anna's horror quickly turned to anger as she saw Kingsley look behind himself and smirk as he saw the Queen retreating up the stairs. That sonofa – Anna began marching towards him, getting her fist ready for one hell of punch. But before she could get too far she felt an arm grab her from behind and restrain her. She looked behind herself angrily to it belonged to Kristoff who looked at her sadly. "He is not worth it Anna – let him go." She conceded as the guards led the man across the castle bridge with strong restraint and Anna could only hope that she would never have to see his face again.


	2. Chapter 2 - The Winter Festival

Chapter II – The Winter Festival

Over the course of the ensuing weeks following the winter ball and through the turn of the New Year, Elsa remained silent about what had transpired that evening. With the holidays temporarily reducing the amount of royal duties for her to handle, Elsa instead kept mostly to herself in the castle, choosing to spend large parts of the day in the kitchen and library. She aimed to distract herself with cooking lessons from the kitchen's staff, learning to prepare simple meals and treats that she could create on her own. In the library she found comfort in the seemingly endless supply of books that interested her from large novels to historical recollections.

Anna meanwhile did her best to give Elsa her space and refrained from mentioning the winter ball in any context, fearful of causing further emotional turmoil to her older sister. She instead kept her focus on Kristoff who was now spending much of his time on the castle grounds and similarly gave Elsa her space, the pair instead spending much of their time together learning more about each other. Anna discovered that Kristoff was not only a skilled ice harvester but also an aspiring writer, having written several short stories touching upon folk lore and mythical lands. Anna was fascinated by his work and the imagination he seemed to possess and conjure onto paper. This managed to keep the couple distracted for the most part however Anna remained concerned about her sister who she feared was once again shutting the world out, whether by choice or not. After discussing her worry with Kristoff, Anna finally gathered the courage to speak to her directly one afternoon in late January.

"Elsa – can we speak for a moment?" asked Anna as the pair were walking from the dining room after a satisfying lunch of warm vegetable soup. From just the hesitance in her voice Elsa could tell what was on her sister's mind.

"Yes Anna?" she asked her calmly, stopping to stand in front of a tall hallway window that overlooked the castle's center garden which currently contained more snow than anything else.

"What James had said at the ball – you know he didn't mean it right?" Ann asked slowly and purposely to Elsa, maintaining her focus and looking for any indications in her eyes. Anna knew her sister had become very good at reading other people's emotions through their eyes and she hoped she could begin to develop similar skills. Elsa blinked slowly and sighed, having already decided on an answer to this question days ago.

"I know what he said Anna," she replied sharply, "and I know he meant every word."

"But –"

"But I also know his heart and mind are in the right place, and he has no reason to think differently; not yet anyways." Elsa paused to allow her words to rest with her sister. Elsa knew Anna was no more comfortable discussing that disastrous evening than she was and this only made Elsa that much more grateful for her sister's support. She could see in her eyes that Anna understood and reluctantly agreed that perhaps James had not been completely at fault that evening. Without either saying another word Elsa extended her arms and allowed Anna to bury her face in her older sister's hug. They stood and held each other for a few moments as light snow began to fall outside the window until they heard Kristoff calling from the far end of the hall.

"Oh! I've got to go," Anna exclaimed and quickly released Elsa. "I promised I would help Kristoff practice making snowmen, he's awful!"

Elsa smiled. "Olaf isn't going to help you is he?"

"No! I can handle it myself!" Anna replied, returning a large smile before making a mad dash down the hall.

As she saw her sister rush to the courtyard, Elsa turned towards the window to see light frost forming on the inside of the frame. _Keep it together girl._ She had worked so hard for so long to keep her powers under control and for the most part she had made good progress. But her recent confrontation with Kingsley had not done her any favors and it had once again put even her strongest supporters on edge, including her own sister. She focused on the frosted window and concentrated on her emotions which had proven to be a driving factor in the development and strength of her powers. After a few moments she quickly managed to calm herself once more and the frost receded accordingly.

Outside she saw Anna skip to where Kristoff had already begun rolling a few large boulders of snow in the courtyard. Anna bumped into him playfully when she reached him, causing him to twist and fall on his back. She laughed as she knelt down beside him and leaned in, planting her lips on his. Elsa turned away from the window as they reached for each other. _That is the last thing I need to see. _But as she began to walk back to her study she could not help but take one last quick glance out the window.

Elsa had witnessed the love quickly flourish between Anna and Kristoff, culminating in her sister's request that he be allowed to reside in the castle shortly after the end of Frozen Summer, and in her quarters more specifically. Fully knowing the history of her sister's romantic impulses, Elsa was understandably hesitant to permit this despite everything Kristoff had done for them. But after speaking with him privately Elsa was convinced the ice harvester would not pose a threat to her safety, or her heart.

In the twilight hours of a warm August evening last year, Elsa had called upon Kristoff as he and returned to the castle from visiting the local blacksmith shopping for a new harness for Sven. They spoke in Elsa's study, an extravagant office that had previously been utilized by her father. His influence and taste still permeated the room with tapestries and artifacts that dated back hundreds of years cataloging the history of Arendelle. Seated on either side of the large oak desk in the center of the room, the two discussed Kristoff's actions and how his support allowed Anna to reach Elsa and end the Frozen Summer. Elsa thanked him for his heroism and praised his determination to which Kristoff humbly thanked her, albeit reminding her that he had merely been picking up supplies when he had ran into the Princess.

As the conversation soon shifted to his young relationship with Anna, they both agreed she was still perhaps too eager to fall in deep love. "Trust me Elsa," Kristoff tried to reassure her. "Your sister is a sweet kid and the last thing I want to do is break her heart. Besides," he laughed, "the last time I questioned her love for someone she almost clubbed me in the head with my own guitar."

Elsa could not help but giggle lightly at this. "Well thank you Kristoff. After everything that transpired with Hans, you can understand my concern. But you have more than proven yourself trustworthy and I would be happy to have you stay with us."

Kristoff thanked Elsa for her kindness but it was not until he spoke with Pabbie, King of the Rock Trolls that he accepted her invitation. Pabbie had become something of a father figure to Kristoff since he was a little boy who knew very little about his parents, save for that they were not originally from Arendelle. He had tried to learn more about them in the past but no avail, with Pabbie refusing to shed further details on them, instead always insisting he would tell Kristoff more when he was older. As the years progressed Pabbie had maintained this stance until Kristoff eventually stopped asking and conceded that he would never learn about his birth parents.

In the meantime Kristoff did eventually move into Anna's quarters shortly after his conversation with Elsa and brought some much needed life to the castle. The Queen and Princess had been lucky to see even a handful of visitors a day from neighboring towns since the end of the Frozen Summer, with some days being completely void of any activity. Having Kristoff stay with them helped to mitigate the cold shoulder that Elsa had continued to feel through the New Year however she conceded that his presence had a much stronger meaning for her sister. As January gave way to February and the allure of the holiday season wore off, Elsa turned to focus on the political ramifications of her actions with James Kinsley that she unfortunately knew she could not avoid. Word had spread quickly and to curtail further unrest Elsa decided it was best to preemptively convene with the council in a show of diplomatic unity.

"Only then can we join together for the benefit of – "

"Are you mad? They'll rip you apart!" Anna interjected as her sister explained her plans one afternoon in mid-February, the pair seated in her study.

Elsa sighed as her sister commented. "Anna I know it's not the most…attractive course of action but I need to do something."

"Yeah but this like the worst way to do it."

Elsa was certainly no more thrilled about facing the council than Anna but she unfortunately could not think of any better strategy to try and make amends with the Kingdom. Thus after making her case with her sister Elsa scheduled the first council for the week after Amsterdam's winter festival. Leaders from every major town would be summoned and she hoped all would attend willingly, including James.

Until then, Amsterdam's winter festival had become an annual tradition for the past few years and something of an exposition for those in town and neighboring villages. Originally designed as a stimulator for trade, the governor of Amsterdam, Marcus Robinson, had orchestrated the three day event in the beginning of the year to encourage commerce and trade at a time when the castle just across the bay had been closed up. Elsa could recall looking out her bedroom window as a young girl and seeing the festivities on the boardwalk each year. But following her father's instructions she had remained in the castle, foregoing the annual event even after her parent's passing. This year was different however, and for the first time in never Elsa was now free to attend the festival as she pleased.

As scheduled the festival kicked off on the second week of February with Governor Robinson formally opening the festivities shortly upon her arrival. Elsa was glad to see a healthy amount of residents and merchants alike in attendance as the stalls and attractions began to open and while only a few schooner trading vessels were moored along the nearby dock, a much larger number of traveling merchant wagons and carts littered the boardwalk. In an effort to keep any unneeded attention off herself, Elsa had attended the day's events wearing a light jacket over her attire, not for the weather but instead to ward off any judging eyes. She stood by the water's edge surveying the crowd and after Marcus had made his opening remarks Elsa saw him mingling with the crowds who viewed him quite favorably. Elsa knew he was one of the few, if not perhaps the only governor who would give her genuine support at the council. He was handsome and charismatic man who stood tall and took great pride in the town he had been born and raised in. As he shook the hands of a few older gentlemen Elsa saw her chance and carefully walked over to him.

"Greetings my lady," he welcomed the Queen whose face shone from beneath her hood. "I trust you have been keeping well?"

"I have Mr. Robinson, and thank you. We couldn't have asked for better weather today."

He looked and agreed with the Queen as he saw the morning sun shining brightly in the western sky. The weather had remained cold but appropriate for this time of the year in Arendelle. "Indeed ma'am, it is pleasure seeing you here. Please accept my apologies for my absence at the winter ball, I regret I had a previous engagement that I could not break."

"Not a problem Marcus – I take it you have heard how it ended?"

Marcus looked at her carefully, seeing the young girl that still lived behind her blue eyes. "I did and I am embarrassed of James's conduct. It is certainly not indicative of the leadership in Arendelle." Elsa smiled lightly, thankful for Marcus's thoughtful kindness.

"Oh and I received your letter earlier this week," Marcus continued, looking to move the conversation forward. "Seems you are calling a council for next week?"

"I am. I trust I will see you there?"

"You will indeed, however I must admit I would not be hopeful to see many others there."

Elsa sighed and took a moment to look around them, seeing the crowds go about their business. "I understand many would rather forego any discussions with me in favor of maintaining the status quo. However my hope is that they can look past their personal opinions and focus on the work that needs to be done. Arendelle can return to greatness if we can just work together and I aim to continue in my parent's footsteps."

At the mention of the King and Queen, Marcus seemed to wince and Elsa saw a trace of anger in his face as he looked soberly at her. "Be careful discussing King George my lady, there are those who do not view him as favorable as you may believe."

Elsa returned the worried look. "What do you mean?"

Before he could answer they heard Anna calling from the opposite end of the boardwalk, standing by a small stall and waving for her attention. _So much for keeping a low profile, _Elsa thought as she turned back to Marcus.

"Please my lady," Marcus said to her, "enjoy yourself today. We can discuss politics at the council next week."

Elsa nodded in silent agreement, agreeing that she would indeed rather be enjoying the festival than further discussing James. Pulling her jacket tight around herself and adjusting her hood she proceeded towards her sister. As she made her way down the boardwalk she looked around at the people, seeing the smiles on their faces and hearing the joy in their conversations. But amounts the chatter she could also hear whispers of those who recognized her and looking onward with caution. _This must end,_ she told herself, maintaining her focus as she reached her sister.

Anna was standing in front of a jewelry wagon loaded with a vast array of pendants, rings, necklaces and other pieces. The curator stood beside the stall smiling eagerly as the Princess looked around at what he had on display. As Elsa approached them Anna spun around quickly.

"Hey there you are, come look at these and help me decide!"

In her small hands rested two similar looking pendants, each a brilliant shade of dark blue and encased in silver edging that looked flawless. The key difference was in their silver insignias, one displaying a bird in flight, the other a birdcage. Elsa immediately knew which one she would pick and was surprised her sister needed help deciding.

"Oh they are both so beautiful! Which do you like more?"

Elsa looked at her sister with some surprise and replied. "Me? I would pick the bird, much more suited for you."

Anna looked at it carefully and quickly held it up. "Yeah you're right, I'd much rather be flying than locked up!"

The two looked at each other knowingly before Anna quickly turned to pay the vendor. As she did so Elsa took a closer look at the wagon to see if there was anything she might like. There was certainly no shortage of choices as Elsa looked around carefully. Nothing looked particularly interesting until she looked towards the back and saw a very unique looking necklace. It was a small emblem attached to a thin black threaded string that lay carefully placed in the display. The silver emblem seemed to depict some sort of creature – _a dragon?_ It was a stylized image and seemed to be quite distinguishing, perhaps used as an organization's emblem. _I wouldn't mind wearing that – looks pretty neat, _Elsa thought to herself.

"Sir what can you tell me about this piece?" Elsa asked pointing to the necklace.

He smiled to her and responded politely. "I see you have an eye for quality my lady. Sadly there is little I can tell you about that particular item."

"Why is that?"

"Because ma'am, I don't know where it came from. It just happen to be on the side of the road a few years ago during my travels and it was in rough shape. I spent quite a bit of time polishing that shine back into it."

"Hmm," Elsa said taking a closer look and turning it over in her hands. "Well it is certainly beautiful…what do you think Anna?" She held it up and moved it in front of her neck.

"Looks kind of creepy to me," replied Anna, "but it is unique – I say go for it."

Elsa agreed and paid the vendor, thanking him for the necklace. She promptly loosened her jacket and placed the necklace around her neck. It sat comfortably on her chest and shined brightly against the afternoon sun.

"So I saw you were talking to Mr. Robinson?" Anna asked her. "What did he have to say?"

Elsa smiled, "Oh you know, just fun political stuff - told me to enjoy myself today, leave it for next week."

"Well good," replied Anna happily, looking around them. "Now you can help me find Kristoff, bastard snuck off again."

Elsa laughed, "You know he may just need his space, he is a mountain man after all."

"Oh I suppose."

They spent the rest of the day together, following Marcus's advice and just enjoying the festival as two young sisters. They walked the boardwalk holding hands, seeing the wide array of goods being sold in addition to the attractions and exhibits. Many technological advances were being shown, some of which simply amazed Elsa and she looked forward to perhaps getting closer looks in the castle. _One of the perks of being Queen I suppose. _The day passed quickly and Elsa wished it would never end but like all good things it eventually ended for the day as the sun began to set. As the two sisters walked back towards the castle they found Kristoff with his reindeer Sven inspecting ice harvesting equipment on display. Anna took him by the hand and led him home, Elsa in tow with her new necklace resting around her neck.


	3. Chapter 3 - A Simple Ice Farmer

Chapter III – A Simple Ice Farmer

For the entirety of her young life, the most important person in Elsa's life had been her sister, even as they had been separated by her bedroom door. There had been no one else there, no other friend. She had been a prisoner within her own bedroom without a savior, and she need only remember her sister's selfless act saving her from the blade of Hans to know that her sister had felt the same. But once the castle doors were opened Elsa knew that everything would change. Their mutual love as sisters would never be broken, but there would now be the possibility for additional attention to which Anna had already found hers in the form of a rugged ice farmer.

The presence of Kristoff in the castle had quickly become a heated topic of conversation amongst the castle's staff as they questioned whether he should be allowed to remain in the Princess's quarters. He was not of royal heritage, not even a native of the kingdom, and as was dictated by the laws and traditions of Arendelle, should therefore not be allowed to preside in the affairs of the castle under any circumstances. Anna of course dismissed the discussions as petty technicalities and insisted that he be allowed to remain with her.

Elsa however was divided on the matter. She was much more acquainted with the laws and customs that governed Arendelle than her sister was and she was well aware of the problem. She had indeed allowed a foreign citizen to take up residence in the castle and more specifically, move in with the princess on an intimate basis. By all accounts this could easily be seen as willingly inviting a foreign spy or encouraging treason. Elsa of course knew better that Kristoff posed no such threat but nevertheless she knew that with the first council meeting now upon them, it would only prove to be another reason for the council members to attack her. The day after the winter festival ended Elsa called Kristoff into her study.

"You know we really must stop meeting like this my Queen." Kristoff smiled as he walked into the office and took a seat in the spacious chair in front of her desk. Seated on the other side, Elsa returned the smile but quickly changed her bearing as she focused on the matter at hand while still trying to keep the conversation light.

"It has come to my attention, _dear sir_, that I may have unlawfully allowed you to take up residency within these halls, and your occupancy is proving to bear an adverse consequence on the integrity of this court and those in the establishment."

Kristoff sat with a completely confused look on his face and Elsa smiled as she knew she had taken him off guard. "I'm sorry, what? Can you say that again so a simpleton like me can understand?"

Elsa laughed lightly, "It means I need you outta here, at least until things settle down."

"Oh really?" He asked, leaning back in his chair with a playful smirk on his face. "And what if I say no?"

Elsa returned the smirk and placed her hands on the desk in a subtle show of power. "Then I will have to ask the royal guards to kindly_ persuade_ you to leave."

"Oh, well when you put it that way how can I refuse?"

He quickly understood the reason without needing Elsa to explain and he leaned in to speak softer to her. "And what about Anna, have you spoken with her about this yet?"

Elsa looked down for a moment before returning to look at him. "Not yet, but I will. Believe me I have no problem with you being here Kristoff, I truly don't. You make my sister very happy and I enjoy your company as well. It's just – with the fragile line I am walking here with the council I – "

"I get it Elsa, don't worry." He could feel the temperature in the room dropping slightly. "Look I have no problem taking some time away from the castle and its - residents." He gave her a knowing wink as he said this. "I will talk with Anna about it and everything will be fine, trust me, your sister can handle it, she's a strong kid."

Elsa gave him a sigh of relief. "I hope so Kristoff, and thank you. So where will you go? Stay in town?"

"Nah Sven and I can rough it out in my cabin, been a few months now since I checked up on the place anyways."

Elsa leaned back in her chair with a surprised look. "You have a cabin?"

"Of course. Where did you think I was living before I met you two? Under a rock with Pabbie?"

"Well I – I never gave it much thought to be honest." It was true she hadn't thought much about Kristoff's past save for the fact that he was an orphan raised by the Rock Trolls. Elsa hoped that her sister had learned more about him during their time together than she had.

Kristoff laughed, "Believe it or not your majesty, I was living just fine before I ran into Anna at Oaken's shop. Pabbie has been looking after the place…at least I hope."

Elsa smiled at his lightheartedness. "Thank you Kristoff, I truly appreciate the help. Hopefully when the dust has settled from the council we can reevaluate the laws and make some changes – I know Anna would appreciate it."

"I'm sure she would. By the way I've been meaning to ask you, did you catch up with that guy you had met at the winter ball?"

Elsa was lost for a moment trying to recall who Kristoff was referring to. She had managed to forget most of that evening with only the fleeting image of threatening Kingsley still permeating her memory. But as she concentrated on that night, she began to remember meeting someone. A man whose face remained planted in her subconscious. His face emerged in her thoughts and as her attention returned to the room, Elsa realized she had been staring off into space for an uncomfortably long amount of time and quickly collected herself.

"Oh, um no, I – I have been so caught up with preparing for the council I haven't given him much thought."

Kristoff smiled coyly, still seated in the chair. "Really… well maybe you should take a break from the throne, get out of the castle more."

A few more silent moments passed before Elsa responded.

"Yes well – let's just focus on coming to terms with the council before thinking of – other distractions."

Still smiling, Kristoff could see the wheels turning in the Queen's head as he rose from his seat and walked to the door.

"Well since it seems like you have a lot on your mind, _your Majesty, _please allow this simple ice farmer to take his leave. Just know that if you need to talk, you know where to find me."

"Thank you Kristoff."

He nodded and departed from the room, leaving Elsa alone at her desk. She remained seated, staring off into space at the door, listening to the silence around her. She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, placing her hands on the armrests and allowing her mind to wander. _Well that solves one problem, but damned he had to bring up the winter ball again._ She now distinctly remembered her short encounter that night, and the young man she had met. As if remembering a long lost friend, she could not help but smile as she recalled their short time together.


	4. Chapter 4 - Books and Other Curiosities

Chapter IV – Books and Other Curiosities

For a few brief wonderful moments the Queen felt in complete control. She sat at the head of the council room table with her hands carefully placed on the glossy surface, the Princess seated closely at her right side. Sunlight shone brightly through the nearby picture windows, filling the room with ample lighting. Across the room stood two royal guards at the ready, positioned in front of the closed doors. Outside the room the council members stood congregated in the hallway. With her eyes lightly closed Elsa was focused on her breathing, ensuring she was as calm as possible and able to control her powers, lest she do anything she might regret. _Keep it together girl, you can do this._ Despite the ample amount of preparation and receiving a pep talk from both her sister and Kristoff, Elsa knew it would still take a miracle to hold the council with complete control.

After a few more minutes of silent meditation Elsa opened her eyes and stood, nodding to the two guards standing by the double doors. They returned the nod as they proceeded to carefully open the doors, allowing the young Queen to see her attendees for the first time. Elsa immediately noticed that they were for the most part, much younger than she was anticipating. Aside from a few older gentlemen who could easily have passed as her grandfather, the majority of those present looked more able-bodied than she had expected. The council members slowly filed into the room and stood around the table in an unordered fashion as all eyes were immediately upon the Queen and Princess. After the last remaining members walked in, Elsa began to speak with the most commanding voice and tone she could muster.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen, thank you for attending this morning."

Pausing a moment to scan the room and take a quick head count, she was surprised to see James Kingsley's face in the crowd.

"For those who may be unfamiliar, I am Queen Elsa and this is my sister, Princess Anna."

Anna offered a small wave and smile as Elsa introduced her to the room.

"On behalf of my sister and the court, I welcome you to the capital – and Amsterdam, to which I am sure Mr. Robinson is pleased to welcome you all here as well. We will get started right away so please take your seats."

She motioned for everyone to grab a chair at the table and Elsa remained standing until her sister and everyone else had been seated.

"Please give us the room," she spoke to the two guards who had remained standing at attention by the doors. They nodded and departed, closing the doors carefully behind them.

"So what is this all about?" A tall thin man seated to the left of Elsa asked coldly.

Elsa took a long breath before beginning. "I have asked you all here today in an effort to unify Arendelle once again. I hope that we may join together in coming to some common ground to better support and benefit all citizens in the kingdom."

She paused, suddenly hesitant to continue.

"It is no secret that many in this room view my family and myself specifically with some…distrust." As she chose these words Elsa looked to Kingsley and saw the resentment on his face, his eyes staring harshly back at her. "But my hope is that by having an open discussion we can begin to make amends."

She paused again and looked around the room. With no one seemingly wanting to begin, she turned to one of the few allies she knew she had in the room.

"Mr. Robinson, would you care to offer any opening remarks?"

He looked at her and offered a smile. He knew he was one of the few, if not the only one, who genuinely wanted to see the young Queen succeed. He saw the potential in the young girl, the fire in her heart. But he also knew she lacked the experience and exposure of leading a group of leaders as divisive and strong willed as those in the room around them. With these thoughts in mind he stood and addressed the room.

"Of course your majesty. Ladies and gentlemen on behalf of Amsterdam I would also like to express my thanks for your presence today. I look forward to discussing how we can bolster Arendelle and propel the kingdom into the 19th century."

Marcus took a moment to change his tone before continuing.

"_With that said,_ let me be the first to say how disappointed I am, that for a collection of leaders claiming to be so dedicated to their citizens, they would blast the Queen and deem her unacceptable as their ruler without proper assessment."

As he expected, this charge immediately erupted the room in protest.

"Piss off Marcus!"

"Where do you get off?"

Marcus turned to Elsa and smiled, knowing the electric opening he had delivered. Elsa could only smile back weakly, silently wishing he had not been quite so efficient. She listened intently as those around the table began to voice their opinions, claiming they were only acting in the best interest of their citizens and with the limited information available about her, they had no other alternative than to ignore the Queen. Elsa could sympathize with this and once again began to think about her father's decisions about her. _Why had he been so afraid for others to know? Was there more to it?_

"Speaking for myself and the town of Ravenna, allow me to explain our view of the – Queen."

The sound of Kingsley's voice brought Elsa's attention back to the discussion and her eyes were drawn to the burly man. He was seated at the opposite end of the table but his booming voice easily managed to fill the entire room.

"Since the passing of dear King George and Queen Meredith, our lands have been in turmoil whether those in here would like to admit it or not. A kingdom as vast, as wonderful as Arendelle simply cannot wait for the royal family to emerge from their castle and lead us to a new golden age."

He now spoke directly to Elsa, and for just the slightest moment she felt a sense of compassion from the man.

"I am sorry my dear girl, but there is still so much you do not know. Your father, rest his soul, had relinquished most of the political power to us, and you do not have the right to begin making decisions and passing new legislation without our consent. It is truly a shame you know so little about your own parents."

Elsa lowered her head as he said this and she could almost physically feel her sister fuming beside her. Anna had always been more of a fighter than her sister, for better or worse. _But James is right, there is still so much I don't know. But then there is still so much they don't know about me. _As if reading her mind, Anna took a long look at her sister and saw her deep in thought.

"My sister fully understand the gravity of the situation and – "

"And I promise you, I do not want to relinquish you of any powers you already have. There is clearly much I have to learn about the current state of affairs and I would be grateful to receive your support as I take the time to develop."

For a few brief moments, the council sat in silence, each member looking around the table waiting for someone else to reply. Elsa was now beginning to understand their reluctance to work with her and she felt a genuine sympathy for them. They had essentially been abandoned when her father had closed the gates all those years ago. Whether it had been intentional or not, the various regions were forced to fend for themselves and it would take time to rebuild the trust. Elsa was about to continue until another voice spoke out first.

"What about_ you_ Princess? What is this we hear you are now living with an outsider? Did you allow this your Majesty_?_"

A man seated to the right of Kingsley had now spoken up, demanding to know about Kristoff. _Christ can we at least him out of it, _Elsa thought to herself seeing the man looking at her forcibly. She glanced at Anna and saw her returning the glare at the man, visibly fuming. Elsa quickly placed her hand on her sister's arm, indicating she would handle it.

"Perhaps it would be best," Elsa said carefully, "for my sister and I to explain ourselves."

A few members offered a nod in agreement to this suggestion including James and Elsa took this as a sign that they would at least humor her by listening to her story told from her own words. Little was known about the Queen, save for that her parents had hid her away without explanation. As they now knew Elsa possessed mysterious ice powers, they of course demanded to know more. How had she gotten them? How long had her parents know about this? Did she really have control now? With her sister's silent support at her side, Elsa answered their questions as best she could. They learned about the details of the Queen, how her childhood had been cut short and why she and her sister had been hidden away from the public.

"But why hadn't Anna left the castle?" One woman asked, "Why did she feel the need to remain locked away in the castle when she did not apparently have any powers?"

"Because Elsa is my sister, and I was not going to just abandon her there in her room!" Anna replied harshly, almost jumping out of her chair. Elsa had to restrain her on several occasions as the discussion got heated at times. Kingsley on the other hand, remained silent through the proceedings, only interjecting occasionally with a harsh toned grunt or murmur. He maintained his focus on the Queen, continuing to eye her with suspicion and doubt.

After what seemed like a never ending trial of her peers, Elsa finally seemed to have answered all their questions about herself. By the end everyone around the table looked exhausted and with no further questions Elsa had a few of her own for the room. Were they willing to work with her? Were they willing to work together for the people of Arendelle? Those at the table began to speak amongst each other in hushed tones, only occasionally looking at the head of the table to the two royal sisters. Elsa turned to look at her sister nervously and Anna could only return the worried look.

"We will have to get back to you, my lady." Marcus finally raised his head from the table and addressed her. "The council would like to discuss amongst themselves more, but we would like to schedule a second council at a later date."

"Oh yes, well of course, by all means," she replied with a surprised yet relieved look on her face.

"Thank you my lady, we will take our leave then."

The room began to file out, returning to their horses and carriages waiting outside the castle gates. Anna and Elsa both promptly slouched in their chairs and shared a long exhale as the room in front of them now sat empty once again.

"Tough day," Anna remarked, looking at her sister.

"This is only the beginning," replied Elsa, maintaining her gaze on the door. The pair remained seated for several more minutes as they heard their guests proceed outside, the sun now setting and casting long shadows through the room.

* * *

Later that evening Elsa paced the floor of her room, her hands kneading themselves frantically. She had shed the formal attire she had worn for the council meeting and was now dressed in a much more comfortable top and bottom. With the results of the council buzzing around her head like angry wasps, she knew sleep would not come easily despite her exhaustion. Instead Elsa found herself hungry to talk about what had transpired but realized she did not have anyone to speak with aside from her sister and Kristoff. She cursed at herself as a small shard of ice shot from her left hand and embedded itself in the floor. As she reached down to dislodge it from the hardwood she came to remember the new friend she had made outside the castle and could only hope that he was actually still around.

_Screw it, what have I got to lose? _Not wanting to second guess herself any further she threw the small ice shard onto the outside balcony and grabbed her light jacket. Excusing herself with the castle guards at the gate a few minutes later she proceeded to walk briskly across the bridge, stopping only once to look behind herself to make sure no one was following her. With her hood covering her head and concealing her long hair, it shielded away her eyes under a light shadow and hopefully kept her somewhat incognito. Continuing to walk along the water's edge, she could see the snow and ice built up along the banks of the bay. The temperature had remained below freezing since the holidays, even during the day, not allowing any of the ice in the bay to thaw. There had been concern amongst the visiting traders at the winter festival that this would impede the ability for larger ships to enter the bay but as trade had all but dried up in recent years, there was no rush to break it up. Elsa hoped that through the council she could change that.

After walking a few blocks along the boardwalk she saw the storefront she was looking for. _Bayside Literature. _She proceeded to the illumined front window and peered inside. Within Elsa could see rows of shelves absolutely overloaded with not only books but bottles, trinkets, and other random curiosities. The display case in the front was just as littered, containing its own treasure trove of interesting pieces and Elsa found herself instantly fascinated by what she could see in the dim lighting. She stood in front of the window for a few more minutes, looking around at the shelves until she heard a voice address her from the door.

"Can I help you young lady?"

The voice was old and deep but carried with it a tone of wisdom that seemed appropriate coming from a bookstore. Elsa immediately turned her attention to the direction of the voice and saw an old man standing in the doorway with his hand supporting him on the frame. He certainly looked the part of a librarian with his face riddled with wrinkles and his light grey hair receded well past his forehead. He wore a modest grey sweater that looked to be made of fine wool stitched together in a loose fashion. His slacks were of a similar design clearly worn from age.

Elsa sensed no danger from his presence and turned to smile at the gentleman. "Um yes," she replied, removing her hood and allowing her thick hair to fall freely over her shoulders and back.

"I thought I might find Zack here? Apologies I do not know his family name…"

The old man looked at her with a confused face for a moment before returning the smile. "Yes, oh my yes, he is here. You must be Lady Elsa, please come in let's get you out of this cold."

"Thank you," Elsa replied, smiling as the man mentioned the cold. She followed him through the doorway, watching her step as they walked up a small rise of stairs. She immediately began to feel the warmth from the nearby fireplace which was burning atop a rather large pile of ashes. She remained mesmerized by the contents of the small shop, seeing every wall and surface littered with books, scrolls, candlesticks, tools, and more. _This man sure likes to collect things_. Perhaps most interesting were a number of maps laying across a large drawing table in the far corner. From the small glance Elsa could take the regions looked unrecognizable to her, with markings and labels that looked completely foreign to her.

"Now my dear," the old man said, taking a seat by the fire. "To what do we have the pleasure of your presence this evening?"

Elsa turned back to the man and saw from the light of the fire he looked a little younger but still had the face of a man who had seen many years.

"Oh, well you must be Esbern I believe?"

The man nodded, "I am indeed."

She continued. "Well I had met Zack last year and I – I understand he had travelled to Arendelle recently. I had suggested he speak with you for a place to stay, I hope that was not out of line."

"Not at all my lady," Esbern replied, "Zachary is a fine young man, and as you can see, I can certainly use the extra set of young hands."

"Well I am glad to hear that," Elsa replied, making note of his more formal name. She took a pause. "By the way, if you don't mind me asking, do you happen to know where he is from, exactly?"

Esbern smiled and chuckled lightly. "My lady I believe it best he answer that for you."

"Well I had asked him and he seemed hesitant to tell me. I'm afraid I might have intimidated him."

As she said this they both heard footsteps walking carefully down the staircase at the rear of the shop. The tall bookshelves prevented Elsa from seeing who it was walking down and she remained standing where she was by the fire, anxious to see.

Esbern turned to look and smiled, "here is your chance to ask him again."

Zack emerged from behind the nearby bookshelf and stood behind Esbern in the chair.

"Good evening, Elsa," he said, giving her a small nod and smile. Elsa involuntarily raised her hand to her loose hair as she returned the greeting. She sensed he seemed more at ease now than he had when they first met and she wondered if the presence of Esbern helped. He too was dressed casually, wearing a white long sleeve shirt and pair of pants that looked a little oversized on him. His black hair was pushed back off his face giving Elsa a clearer view of the distinguishing scar on his face. The more she saw of it, the more it looked like he had been attacked by something; or someone.

"I see you two have met; so what were we talking about?" Zachary asked, looking from Elsa to Esbern.

Esbern replied first. "Well the young lady here was just inquiring where –"

"Where he gathered all these books from," Elsa said, cutting the old man off. "It is quite an impressive collection."

Esbern looked at her curiously but quickly smiled and replied. "Oh yes, well this collection has a long, long history. Many of the items in here are thousands of years old, and some so old their exact age is unknown."

As the man spoke Elsa looked around the room more but her eyes were once again drawn to the maps laid across the drawing table in the corner. She now noticed several handwritten markings on them, including circles and notes. Like everything else in the shop, the paper looked very old and worn. Zack caught her gaze and smiled as he turned to see where Elsa was looking.

"So what is the real reason you came here this evening?" He asked her, taking a seat in the chair beside Esbern. He looked at her and motioned for her take the chair opposite the fire from them. She obliged and carefully took a seat, keeping her body turned towards Zack. "I doubt you ventured out here just to ask Esbern where he gets his books from."

"Well I – I wanted to see if you were still here, I didn't get a chance to talk to you more before. I am glad to see Esbern has been able to make room for you."

"Sure, he has been a gracious host and I am happy to stay in town."

"Great! Well I wanted to get your thoughts on something."

"And what is that?"

Elsa quickly realized she did not want to talk about her powers with the pair if she did not have to, for fear that it might scare them. She instead focused on getting their opinion and possible input on the politics, which had unfortunately not progressed far that morning.

She proceeded to tell them about the various individuals who had been in attendance, how virtually all of them had demanded more input in how the kingdom operated and how the court system was handled. She told them about what she hoping to accomplish in the short term and was interested in getting their thoughts, particularly Esbern's. The longer she look at his face, the more silent wisdom he seemed to possess. He listened carefully as she spoke, nodding occasionally to show he followed her. Zachary did the same, watching Elsa's eyes closely, looking for signs of strong emotion or distress. He could not detect it from her eyes, but her hands told a different story. In her lap they rubbed each other carefully, her white fingernails gliding carefully over her palms and back of her hands. Even in the light of the nearby fireplace he could faintly see the frost radiating from her fingertips as she described the town leaders, moving her hands more forcefully. _You sly girl_, he thought to himself, _how long can you keep this up?_

"Well it certainly sounds like you had quite the morning," Zack said as she took a moment to pause, returning his attention back to her eyes which were now fixated back on him.

"Indeed," Esbern chimed in, standing up to tend to the fire which had now dwindled down to only a single log. "If I might ask, young lady, why it is your parents had dealt so little with the Jarls outside of the immediate region?"

Elsa looked at him with a confused look, "the Jarls?"

Esbern chuckled as he threw a few more logs onto the fire. "My apologies, old habits and all. The town leaders – governors, why hasn't there been much cooperation recently?"

Elsa looked down to her feet, "I – I don't know. I did not learn much about how my parents governed. They died when my sister and I were just young girls."

The old man began to apologize as he returned to his seat. "Oh my yes, forgive me, I had heard about your parent's passing."

"That is quite all right," Elsa replied softly, shifting in her chair. As she did so her jacket loosened and revealed the necklace around her neck. Esbern quickly noticed it as he retook his seat.

"My young lady where did you get that?"

"Get what?" She asked, unaware the necklace was now exposed.

"Your necklace my dear, may I ask where you got it?"

Elsa looked down at herself and held up the necklace off her chest.

"Oh this? I got it from a vendor at the winter festival last week, why does it hold some significance for you?"

Esbern chuckled, "more than you might believe."

"Oh really? What do you know about it?"

Before he could answer the large grandfather clock on the opposite wall began to chime and Elsa turned to look at it.

"Is that clock correct?!" Elsa quickly asked him as she saw how long she had been there. She quickly jumped out of her chair and pulled her jacket tighter around herself, once again concealing the necklace. "I better go before my sister wonders where I am and sends out a search party."

Zack also stood and looked at her with a concerned look. "You didn't tell your sister you were coming here?"

"Not exactly… I told the guards I was taking a walk but I did not say where or for how long. At this hour they probably think I've gotten lost, or worse."

Zack proceeded to walk over to her and carefully placed his hand on her shoulder. "Go then, we can always talk later."

Elsa smiled, "maybe then I will find out where you are from."

Zack returned the smile without responding, looking square in her eyes. Elsa immediately began to feel a sensation radiating from Zack's hand that took her by complete surprise. _What the hell?! _She looked back at him and quickly pulled away, saying her goodbye. Zack saw the look in Elsa's eyes and feared he might have offended her somehow. As she departed from the shop he could only hope he would see her again. But until then, he and Esbern had much to discuss and their night was far from over.

Upon returning to the castle gates Elsa was relieved the see the castle guards remaining idly by, albeit having changed shifts for the evening. She thanked them for their service as she proceeded inside, walking at a brisk pace to her quarters. The halls were quiet, save for the footsteps of guards patrolling nearby. Her own footsteps were light and silent, allowing her to easily reach her room without alerting anyone. As she entered her room she closed the door carefully and tossed her jacket onto a nearby chair. Upon reaching the bed she collapsed face first onto the mattress, her loose hair falling over her face and onto the bed around her. After a few moments of some final thoughts she managed to get back onto her feet to change into appropriate clothing and crawl into bed. She would be asleep before her head hit the pillow.


	5. Chapter 5 - Investigating

Chapter V – Investigating

As had become routine for Elsa, she awoke the following morning to find the temperature in her room frigidly cold, despite the lit fireplace furnace that rested mere feet from her bed. She of course had no trouble sleeping through the night but anyone else who might have tried to reside in the room with her would have certainly had a less than comfortable evening. As this phenomenon had persisted with her, Elsa had come to believe it as an unfortunate and permanent side-effect of her powers, and she had refrained from telling anyone about it, even her sister. It was one less thing for Anna to worry about and one less difficult discussion to have with her. Elsa had no doubt the maids that attended to her room had picked up on the occurrence but she was grateful none had said anything. With her hair in a tangled mess she rose out of bed and shuffled to the furnace, increasing the gas. It roared to life and quickly began to thaw the room. Then fixing her hair and dressing herself, Elsa proceeded downstairs to breakfast.

As if knowing she was awake and on her way, a mug of coffee sat waiting on the kitchen table with fresh fruit and pastries laid out on a few large serving trays. The room was empty as the Queen took her seat at the head of the table and reached for a few pieces of fruit and a small muffin. She sat and began nibbling on her food and sipping the smooth coffee. Silence surrounded her in the dining room but inside her head was a different story. Between the results of the first council meeting combined with her discussion with Zack (_Zachary?)_ and Esbern, Elsa's mind was already firing on all pistons and she was quickly lost in thought as her sister and Kristoff entered the room shortly after her arrival. The pair took their seats at the table and greeted Elsa who was only able to offer a groggy "gd'morning" as her focus stayed on the table and food in front of her. Kristoff began to reach for a few donuts as coffee was promptly served to them and Elsa's mug received an unnecessary topping off. With no one else apparently wanting to talk Anna began.

"So Elsa, as we were getting out of bed this morning Kristoff said that he had something important to tell but wanted you to be in the room when he did. Any idea what he might have to say?"

Elsa chocked on her coffee slightly as her sister said this and she quickly turned her look at the man who had maintained his focus on his plate, a small smile emerging on his face. _Thanks Kristoff, _Elsa thought to herself, _way to throw me under the wagon._

"Hmmm," Elsa said in a comedic yet focused tone, keeping her eyes on Kristoff. "I wonder what it could be about. Do tell us Kristoff."

Now seeing that he was the one on the spot, Kristoff finished his mouthful of donut and washed it down with a big swig of his coffee, cursing silently that it was so hot.

"Well I – I wanted to tell you Anna, that, because I love your sister and want to help her in any way I can, I will be heading back to my cabin for a few weeks while she fights it out with the council."

Anna looked to be in shock for a few seconds as he said this, and to Elsa, almost looked like she had stopped breathing.

"You – you're what?"

Despite his burning tongue, Kristoff quickly took another swig of coffee, quickly realizing he would need a lot of caffeine this morning.

"I want to help your sister out by heading back home and giving them one less reason to chew her out."

Anna quickly started to get upset, not directly at Kristoff or her sister, but instead at the council and the predicament that she and Elsa had now found themselves in.

"But this isn't fair! Why the hell do they care I'm sleeping with?!"

"Anna please –"

"No Elsa, this is bullshit and you know it. That Kingsley and his – his cronies have no right to be saying who the Princess can be involved with and I can't believe they have the gall to even speak to you like that."

Anna was once again fuming with her face a dark shade of red. Kristoff had quickly returned his focus to his plate of food and had started working on his second donut, purposefully reframing from making eye contact with Anna. As the waiters began to bring out some eggs and pancakes from the kitchen door Anna quickly saw them and raised her hand. "Not now!" They saw the look on the Princess's face and possibly more out of fear than of following orders, quickly retreated back into the kitchen with the hot food.

"If he has to go live out in the woods again, I'm going with him," Anna continued, now focused on her sister who looked at her with a concern look.

"Anna you know I can't allow that."

"Yeah well unless you lock me in my room, there is no way I am giving those bastards the satisfaction."

Elsa looked down at her coffee and saw the cream spinning lightly in the cup. _She never makes it easy does she? _Trying to keep herself as calm as possible, Elsa raised her head to look at her sister once more and saw the passion in her eyes, the fighting drive that pushed her.

"I am sorry Anna, but as Queen I simply cannot authorize the Princess to leave the castle for a month or more to go live in the woods with some guy."

"But Kristoff isn't just _some guy_ and you know that!"

"Of course I do," Elsa replied, quickly regretting using those words and now beginning to feel the unwanted sensation of frost rising from her hair. "Anna this is more complicated than just you wanting to be with Kristoff. This is bigger than you, me, bigger than all of us."

Anna remained silent now, still maintaining her strong look at her sister, seeing the light frost beginning to materialize from her. She shifted in her chair, quickly realizing the unintentional anger she was directing at Elsa. Knowing that she would not get anywhere ranting over breakfast, Anna instead took a deep breath and closed her eyes, nodding to her sister.

"Fine – I get it." Anna rose from her chair without saying another word and quickly walked out of the dining room, leaving the food on her plate and her sister alone with Kristoff. After her loud footsteps disappeared down the hall, Elsa turned to Kristoff who could only look back at her with a disappointed face. A few moments passed until he leaned over to Anna's plate and reached for the half-eaten cranberry muffin. She looked at him with a small look of disbelief.

"Well no point in letting it go to waste," He said with half a mouthful, managing to get a small smile out of Elsa. As she took another sip of her coffee which had now gotten considerably cold, she saw a waiter peeking out from the kitchen door. She nodded for him to enter and the hot food was promptly brought out and served. The two finished their breakfast with little discussion, both wishing the morning had begun a little more pleasantly.

* * *

For the remainder of the day Elsa kept her distance from Anna as much as she could, reframing from calling upon her or even venturing near her room. Instead Elsa turned her attention to one of the matters on her mind and visited the castle's library. The large stone structure was housed in the center of the castle and was easily one of the oldest chambers in the castle. Within its walls housed an impressive collection almanacs, records, charts, scrolls, and a seemingly endless supply of novels and other miscellaneous books. Unlike Esbern's shop, the castle's library was meticulously well kept with not a single book out of place. As Elsa began to walk slowly through the isles, the library quickly began to look more like a museum with everything carefully arranged and untouched. Every collection of books she saw looked complete and in pristine condition, even those dating back a hundred years or more.

But Elsa was looking for a specific item that she was sure would be well preserved. The kingdom's founding constitution had been written many years ago, and the exact date of its signing was in fact unknown. In the absence of a definitive anniversary date, they now celebrated the founding of Arendelle every year on the first Sunday in August which had come to be called the Festival of Lights. Elsa remembered celebrating the festivities with her parents as she rounded the corner of one of the large shelves and found what she was looking for. Beneath a locked display case sat a large black book that displayed the kingdom's emblem on the front cover. Clearly worn by use, the book's jacket had numerous scratches and stain marks that gave it a distinctive look. The pages within looked to be in no better condition with a dark tan coloring to the edges and some spilled ink dried in small splatters.

_Damn. Of course it's locked, _Elsa thought to herself as she placed her hands on the glass. It should not have been surprising of course to find Arendelle's founding constitution locked away from prying hands. The large book documented all of the laws, referendums, charters, and declarations that had kept the kingdom running for hundreds of years. Elsa wanted to get her hands on it to see when the most recent amendments had been made, and what the rules were about making those amendments. Realizing she would need to find a staff member with access to the library's keys, Elsa stepped back from the display case and looked around, seeing the rest of the cases that sat idly by.

Placed within larger cases were various weapons and artifacts, unlabeled and without context. Elsa surmised she would need to be a serious history buff to fully understand and appreciate the material that surrounded her. Instead she walked around them slowly, taking a quick look at each to see if she recognized anything in particular. From small daggers to a full battle axe, the amount of deadly weapons quickly surprised her, as she was not aware of any substantial battles in the kingdom's history. In addition to the tools of destruction, she also saw what seemed to be some religious artifacts which were carefully placed atop pieces of cloth. Small bottles with liquid in them rested beside small pocket books and writing instruments.

Finishing her personal tour of the cases, she came to the last one in the isle and stopped to look. This one immediately stood out from the rest and seemed to be placed a few feet away from everything else around it. Its contents immediately grabbed her interest as she saw the stack of books placed on the left side. Embedded on the cover of the top most book was the same emblem as her necklace! She quickly removed it from around her neck and held it out to compare the two. _They're identical! Well this is interesting, _Elsa thought to herself in gleeful excitement. The books looked so old they might crumble under their own weight and she was further intrigued to see the bindings featured unique emblems seeming to depict different elements. _Fire, water, snow…lightning? What the hell are these? _

Looking through the rest of the locked case Elsa could see it further contained a dagger, a few bottles filled with an unknown liquid, _and a – a staff? _Elsa leaned in close to get a better look, almost pressing her face against the glass. The staff looked to be approximately four feet in length with carefully crafted carvings all along the handle, culminating in a figurehead on the end that seemed to depict some sort of vicious animal. It was unlike anything she had seen before and cursing once again that the damned thing was locked, she continued to look into the case with a childlike fascination. After a few more minutes of gawking she finally managed to pry her eyes away and turn her attention back to the original reason she came here.

Arendelle's constitution remained locked away in the case and Elsa was almost tempted to freeze and break the lock right off, saving her time. But she quickly dismissed the idea as she heard a single pair of footsteps walking down the stairs behind her. They were slow and methodical as Elsa turned to see one of the castle's guards approach her.

"Sorry to disturb you my lady, I had heard someone entering the library and I was just investigating."

"Not a problem," Elsa smiled to the man, "I am just doing a little bit of investigating myself. Do you happen to know who might have the keys to the display cases here?"

The guard looked over her shoulder to the circle of cases, seeing her handprints on some of them.

"Why yes, that would be the commander of the guards, Captain Korvo, he should have the keys to every lock in the castle."

"Thank you…"

"Henry – ma'am," he quickly replied, seeing the Queen unable to place his name.

She smiled again, "thank you Henry, I will take my leave and seek out the Captain then."

"Of course my lady, let me walk you out."

The pair proceeded to walk the stairs up and out of the library, with Elsa managing to take one last look over her shoulder before they escaped through the main chamber door.


	6. Chapter 6 - Key To The Mystery

Chapter VI – Key To The Mystery

Kristoff stood in the main courtyard plaza of Amsterdam with Sven nearby as he loaded his sleigh with his supplies and personal effects. With the month of March now upon them, the town's local citizens walked through the plaza wearing lighter clothing and enjoying the warm sunlight as they went about their business. Elsa however continued to feel a colder should from many who made eye contact with her as they passed without a greeting. She stood nearby the ice harvester on the cobblestone pavement with her sister by her side who looked like she would break out in tears at any moment. With his back to them Kristoff did not manage to see the deep look of sadness on his love's face.

"Did you remember to pack enough food for Sven?" Elsa asked, desperately trying to break the uncomfortable tension around her. She shifted her weight and involuntarily played with her hands as Kristoff finished placing a few small boxes in the back and turned to the two sisters.

"Of course, he basically eats everything I do, isn't that right buddy?" Sven danced on his front hooves quickly and leaned in to lick Kristoff's face.

Kristoff laughed, "That's what I thought, so I guess I'm just about done here."

Unable to contain herself anymore, Anna quickly stepped forward to Kristoff and wrapped her arms around him, almost knocking him over onto the sleigh. "This is not fair – I can't let you go!"

Kristoff could only laugh as he lowered his arms around Anna and lifted her off the ground, placing her on the seat of the sleigh. "Anna I'm not going anywhere – at least not forever. Look I love you too, but I don't want my being here to make Elsa's life harder. You have to understand that right?"

"Yeah I do it's just – it's just why should you being with me matter to anyone?"

Kristoff leaned in to her and placed his lips on hers. After a short intimate moment he released her and whispered, "I'll be back in a few weeks, I promise."

He looked over Anna to Elsa and saw she had turned her back to them, looking around the docks. Once again chuckling he spoke to her. "It's okay Elsa you can look now."

She obeyed with a smirk on her face as Kristoff stepped forward and spoke softly. "Do me a favor and just enjoy the summer – go see that friend of yours again." Elsa could only blush as he said this and she playfully pushed him back, hoping her sister had not overheard him. "Alright then," Kristoff said, raising his voice so Anna could hear. "I better get going before this starts getting weird."

Before Anna could protest further Kristoff quickly hooked Sven up and hopped into the sleigh as Elsa took her sister's hand to prevent her from jumping in as well. With a flick of the reins Kristoff waved without looking behind as he quickly rode through the town square and took a sharp turn behind a line of buildings. Now left with her sister again, Anna suddenly felt hollow and empty as if a piece of her had just escaped her. After seeing the sleigh vanish over the hill behind the cottages, Anna began to walk slowly back to the castle with her head hanging low._ What more can I say to her_, thought Elsa walking slowly beside her. _It's not like I want this anymore than she does…or do I? _They walked along the water, following the same route Elsa had taken to visit Esbern's shop. Along the way they passed the front of _Bayside Literature_ and Elsa managed to take a quick glance to see the door open wide welcoming visitors. Kristoff's words quickly rang again in her head. _See that friend again._ Did he know she had already visited him once? How could he? Maybe she was just overthinking it. They reached the castle bridge in silence and as Elsa looked ahead of them she saw a familiar and welcome face.

Captain Korvo was standing in front of a two guards appearing to lecture them about something. As they approached him Elsa could hear him angrily explaining their duties. When the two guards saw the Queen and Princess approaching their eyes left Korvo and turned to them. The Captain followed their gaze as he turned to see the royal sisters and offered them a small bow.

"Greetings ladies, I do apologize you had to hear my little outburst there."

"What seems to be the problem?" Elsa asked.

"Well I learned this morning that you left the castle after dark a few days ago which is certainly no cause for concern but I understand that none of the guards on patrol that evening had accompanied you, is that correct ma'am?"

Quickly realizing the night he was referring to, Elsa swallowed hard and responded. "Yes that is correct. I was unaware of such a rule."

The Captain laughed lightly and Elsa was unsure whether it was in humor or anger. "Well my dear it is not specifically written down however I strongly recommend it and instruct my guards to abide by it as such. My job is to look out for your safety of course and I take my job very seriously."

Anna now chimed in, her curiosity now sparked. "When did you leave the castle?" She looked at her sister suspiciously, surprised at her secrecy.

"I appreciate the concern Captain," Elsa said trying to ignore her sister, "may I speak with you privately in my study?"

"Certainly my lady."

Elsa thanked him and excused herself from Anna's side, leading the Captain to her father's office. They walked at a brisk pace, neither stopping to greet anyone they passed. Once reaching their destination Elsa invited him in and asked he take a seat in the same chair Kristoff had been asked to take a little vacation. Now she sat behind her desk with the Captain of the guards in front of her about to make a unique request.

"Korvo I wanted to ask if you happen to know anything about the artifacts on display in the castle's library."

The Queen's inquiry came as a surprise to him and he took a moment to consider the question, leaning back in the chair and turning his gaze to the bookshelf behind her. She waited patiently for his response, watching his eyes carefully.

"I dare say I may have the most knowledge about that library than anyone else in this castle. Is there anything in particular that caught your attention?"

"Well there was one display case in particular that interested me. It is filled with several items I have never seen before and I was wonder what you might know about it."

"What type of things are in it?"

Elsa took a moment to think. "A stack of books, some bottles… and a staff of some kind."

She could see the Captain's eyes widen ever so slightly and she could immediately tell he knew what she was describing. She leaned forward to the desk and placed her elbows on the surface, resting her chin on her hands. She eyes bore deeply at him as if trying to see straight through him.

"You know exactly what I am talking about, don't you Captain?"

He smiled, knowing how perceptive the Queen could be.

"I believe I do, but I think it best if you show me."

"Of course," Elsa replied happily, "just make sure you have your keys handy."

* * *

The pair walked down the stone staircase and the familiar smell of paper and ink quickly flooded Elsa's senses. Seemingly untouched since the last time she was down here, the library carried with it a sense of loneliness that now permeated much of the castle. _Why have a library if no one uses it? _Elsa thought, seeing the rows of perfectly arranged shelves pass them as they walked to the center of the room. There they found everything just as Elsa had left it, albeit without her fingerprints on the glass which had been promptly wiped away by the castle's staff that same evening.

Elsa walked pasted the black book in the center without a glance as she now focused on her target. The end case remained locked and untouched, continuing to entice her with its contents.

"Ah yes," spoke Korvo over her shoulder, now seeing what the Queen was fixated on. "I should have guessed this is the one you would be most interested in."

"Do you have the key for it?" Elsa asked, maintaining her focus on the case.

Korvo sighed lightly. "Alas, I have a key for every lock in this room – except this case."

She spun around and looked at him. "You're joking."

"I am afraid not ma'am. The contents of this case were stored specifically by your father and only he had the key. Perhaps it might be in his study?"

Elsa could hardly believe it. _What would make these so important that her father would not even give the key to Korvo? _She turned her gaze back on the case, eyeing the emblem on the books intensely.

"Can I offer my opinion ma'am?"

"Of course."

"When your father had added these items to the collection here a few years after you were born, I asked him why he was doing so; what was their significance? He told me it was best that I knew as little about them as possible, and he refrained from telling me anything further. Now I can't say for certain what his intensions were but ma'am, I think they carry some significance with you."

Elsa looked at him with a puzzled look. "Me? You mean these have something to do with me? You think these might have something to do with my powers?"

Korvo looked towards the case. "Now ma'am I don't want to make any assumptions. All I am saying is you may want to investigate these items the best you can."

The pair stood together peering at the items for a few more moments, both thinking of the King. Elsa's mind was now racing with the possibilities of where these items might have come from and why her father had locked them away. As Korvo suggested, the key could indeed be somewhere within his office and she was ready to sprint upstairs and tear the place apart looking for it. Instead she contained her excitement and turned to the black book in the center.

"Well thank you for the insight Korvo, I appreciate it. I had originally come to the library to take a look at this, Arendelle's constitution. I wanted to review some of the laws and see when the most recent amendments were made. Do you mind if I take it to my office to study?"

"Not at all ma'am, I should have the key for that one somewhere here." The Captain began to fumble with his keychain which easily had more keys attached to it than Elsa could count. He flipped through them for a few moments before finding the right one and lifting it from the bunch. "Ah here we are." He leaned down slightly to insert the key into the lock and Elsa could hear the satisfying sound of tumblers lifting as he turned his hand carefully, unlocking the case. The glass cover promptly popped open slightly and Korvo carefully lifted it up, allowing Elsa to reach for the book and remove it from its protective home.

"Whew it's heavier than I expected," Elsa quickly commented, using both her hands to hold it up.

Korvo laughed as he returned the glass and relocked the case. "Well there is a lot of history in there. Please be careful with it ma'am, as I'm sure you will be."

"Of course, and thank you Korvo; for everything."

He smiled. "I am at your service; now let's go see what's for lunch."

* * *

As promised Elsa handled the book like a plate of fine china as she placed it on her desk a short time later. Easily taking up a good portion of the desk, the book was a stark reminder of just how old the kingdom was. She stood before it seeing the markings and other blemishes on the cover and she could only imagine what condition the pages themselves were in. But before she dove into the reading material, she first wanted to see if Korvo's theory proved correct. She looked around at the walls and various pieces of furniture around her study. _If I was a super-secret key, where would I be?_ The obvious place would in the desk, which by its own right could have been classified as a small closet. The large oak behemoth easily outweighed everything else in the room and had several large drawers on it which housed various writing tools, mathematic instruments, and random knick knacks. Elsa had not done much digging through it since commandeering the office, afraid she might find something that would bring back painful memories of her parent's passing. But now determined by her mission she dug through the drawers carefully, turning over everything that wasn't nailed down.

After a good ten minutes Elsa had managed to search though every drawer she could find but came up empty handed. Disappointed she slouched back in her chair and looked down at her feet in defeat. After a few moments something in her view caught her attention. At the base of the desk in the shadows by her feet she saw a fault in the wood and at first dismissed it as a dent. But after staring at it for a few seconds she realized it was not indented in but rather protruding out. _Like a handle! _She sat back and knelt down to the floor for a better look. What she had indeed noticed in the back of the underside was a small wooden handle that looked worn with overuse.

"Let's see what you do," Elsa said out loud as she used her foot to carefully press the lever down. It gave more resistance than expected as she managed to press it down a few inches and quickly heard the sound of metal grinding and a short click from behind her. She stood back up to look and saw that one of the lamps on the wall had now popped off slightly and was swinging ever so slightly. _How cliché, _Elsa thought and smiled to herself as she reached for the lamp and carefully pulled it open. Within she found a small keychain with five keys attached to it. None of the keys were labeled or easily identifiable, bearing only a random number on each. However one easily caught her eye, bearing the same symbol as the necklace. "Well I'll be damned, way to go Korvo." She removed the key from the ring and carefully placed it in her pocket, returning the rest to the hidden safe.

Before returning to the library once more Elsa instead proceeded to the dining room where she saw her sister sitting alone quietly munching on a salad. As Anna saw Elsa walk in she looked up and offered a small smile before returning to her meal. Elsa took a seat beside her sister and waited for her to speak first.

"So where have you been all morning?"

"The library, doing some research."

"Is that right? And I guess I won't find out what Korvo was talking about?"

Elsa smiled, knowing she could not keep it from her sister forever.

"I went out to visit a new friend I had met at the winter ball last year."

At the mention of a new friend Anna's ears perked up and she quickly lowered her fork to look at Elsa.

"Ohhh reaaallllyy?"

Elsa could not help but laugh as her sister studied her.

"And what's his name?"

"What makes you assume it's a guy?"

Anna looked at her with a knowing face. "Oh please, if you are sneaking off from the castle late at night _without a guard, _what else can it be other than some talking animal you don't want anyone to know about?"

Elsa could now tell she was blushing and slowly turned her head in a feeble attempt to hide it.

"Well okay you got me – but I know what you are thinking and we are just friends."

"Oh what's the matter, does he smell bad? Walk funny? Talk with his mouth full?"

"I think you just described Kristoff there," Elsa replied with a light laugh, but quickly regretted bringing him up as Anna began to glare at her.

"Sorry – no it's nothing like that, I just don't know much about him, I don't even know where he is from."

Anna took another bight of her salad and laughed lightly. "Yeah that might be a good place to start. Do you at least know his name?"

Hesitantly Elsa replied, "Zack."

"Family name?"

"Haven't gotten that far yet."

At this Anna quickly pushed her salad bowl away from herself and turned her full attention to her sister. "Well gosh Elsa," she said in a clearly sarcastic tone. "This guy sounds like an absolute dream and I can't wait to meet him. So I take it he will be joining us for dinner and sleeping in your room tonight?"

"Anna!" replied Elsa, now annoyed by her sister's remark.

"Look I'm sorry Elsa but I'm just upset about the council, Kingsley, and now Kristoff has been forced to leave because of them! It's nonsense!"

Elsa sighed. "It's not nonsense Anna and you know I don't like it any more than you do. But if we want things to change around here," she said, motioning with her hands around the room, "if we want these halls to be filled with guests and life, we need to make amends with these people. I promise you, things will get better, and Kristoff will be back before you know it."

Anna looked at her sister with hopeful eyes and smiled weakly. "So when do I get to meet him?"

* * *

The kingdom's constitution had now become an afterthought at best for Elsa as she made her way through the courtyard to the castle gates. With the moon once again reflecting brightly in the western sky the Queen reached the gate to find the Captain of the guards standing by. He smiled as her saw her wearing her light jacket. "Ah good evening my lady, taking another late night stroll I see?"

"Just looking to make a quick visit Captain, I won't be long."

"I understand that my lady but as we discussed before I insist you be accompanied after nightfall." Elsa knew she wasn't going to win any arguments with the man and conceded. He thanked her and instructed one of the nearby guardsmen to escort the Queen to wherever she wanted to go. Elsa took off her coat and gave it to the Captain. "In that case I won't be needing this."

He smiled and took the jacket from her. "Of course ma'am, be safe."

As Elsa and the young guard walked across the bridge and rounded the corner onto the boardwalk, she could sense his uneasiness around her. She glanced at him and wondered what he might be more afraid of right now; an assassin dropping on them from the rooftops or getting iced by the Queen herself. The question was of course ridiculous but Elsa could not shake the thought as they reached their destination.

"I will only be a short time; will you be alright waiting outside?"

The guard straightened himself and stood at attention beside the door. "Of course my lady, please take your time."

"Thank you," she smiled, reaching for the door handle and proceeding to enter the small shop. Inside she once again immediately felt the heat radiating from the fireplace, burning just as brightly as before, only now it looked like the embers had been cleaned out recently. The rest of the shop was still in the same condition as she had left it and looking like a tornado had whipped through. She wondered what Zack was actually helping Esbern with. _They certainly aren't trying to clean the place up, that's for sure._

"Hello? Anyone home?" She called out, standing by the fire. From her view she could see a kitchen beyond the doorway at the back of the shop and heard footsteps. Zack emerged from around the corner and instantly smiled as he saw the Queen. He stood a few feet away behind Esbern's chair and placed his forearms on the back, shifting his weight slightly.

"Good evening _your majesty,_" he welcomed her professionally knowing she preferred her given name.

She grinned lightly, "same to you, _outsider._"

"Glad you see you can throw it right back", he smiled and motioned to the chairs, "stay a while."

"Thank you."

As they took their seats she looked around once again. "Will Esbern be joining us this evening?"

Zack shook his head, "I'm afraid not, he was making a short trip and did not expect to be back for a few days, asked me to hold down the fort. You know I've got to say once you amaze me with your ability to ignore the cold, not even a jacket tonight I see."

Elsa smiled. She was indeed wearing only a light top and bottom that were much more appropriate for hot summer weather.

"How much do you know about me?" Elsa asked Zack carefully. She had come to the belief that for them to ever have a serious conversation about her parents and have him help her do more research, she was going to have talk about herself eventually. On top of this she had no doubt he had already heard things from people around town and rather than have him relying off the rumors of the townsfolk, it was better to hear it from the source.

He leaned back in his chair, "boy that is a _big_ question. What do I know about you…?" He began to play with his hands in front of his face, pretending to be in deep thought.

She smiled, "I think you know what I mean."

"I don't know," he said coyly, "I think you may have to refresh my memory."

"Maybe this will help." Elsa replied, carefully extending her left hand out in front of herself and raised her palm. Zack remained in place, anticipating to see first-hand what he had only heard about. Elsa gave him one last look before focusing on her hand. _I hope you are ready for this. _Out of nothing came what looked like a small spark of blue light above her open hand, flickering and disappearing as quickly as it came. In its wake came a growing orb of ice and hard snow that spun in mid-air above her hand, increasing speed as it gained mass. The ball grew to the size of a softball in a matter of seconds before it stopped in midair and fell lightly into the palm of her hand.

Zachary looked up at Elsa and smiled, "oh this, who hasn't heard about this?"

He took the ball from her with two hands as she replaced her hand in her lap, both of them admiring her handiwork. He rolled the ball around in hands, feeling the impressive weight and thickness. Elsa watched his reaction carefully and to her surprise he seemed unimpressed. _Either he is very good at hiding his surprise or he knows more than he is letting on._

"So what do you think?" She asked him.

"I think we have a lot more to talk about now," he replied, placing the ball on the nearby end table.

"Well good, because I initially did want to talk with you and Esbern about it, I just didn't want to scare you."

He chuckled lightly, "believe me, this is nothing."

"And what does that mean?" She asked curiously, eyeing him with a careful look.

He paused, seeming to regret his choice of words. "It means we should wait for Esbern to return before discussing this further. Tell you what, why don't we hold off on this for a few days until he returns. I'm sure he will have more things to say than I ever could."

Elsa sighed, disappointed that he did not want to talk more. But she conceded that what she had observed from just their little chat this evening was more than enough and she was satisfied with turning in for the evening. "Okay Zack, you win, I will try stopping by again in a few days. Sound like a plan?"

He leaned in close and placed his hands on her knees, speaking softly and with purpose. The combination of his hands and voice made Elsa focus her complete attention on him and her eyes met his in a deadlock.

"Of course," he said," until then just know that your gift is more special and unique than even you may think."

"Oh – okay," stammered Elsa, suddenly lost for words. She quickly stood up and made for the door, now anxious to see the guard outside. Before stepping through the door she quickly turned. "Just tell me one thing, am I a monster to you?"

Zack remained seated in the chair and spoke without hesitation, "Monster is the last thing I would call you."


	7. Chapter 7 - Testing A Theory

Chapter VII – Testing A Theory

Elsa woke on her stomach with her face buried in her pillow, once again surrounded by an unnaturally cold chill permeating the room. Groggily she turned to lay on her side and looked to the clock on the nearby wall. _Ugh it's way too early_. From between the partially closed blinds of the window she could see she had woken before the sun and the sky outside remained dim but growing gradually brighter by the minute. _At least the weather is cooperating, _she thought to herself, turning to lay on her back and look up at the ceiling. She yawned and closed her eyes gently in a feeble attempt to fall back to sleep but her mind instead quickly began firing on all cylinders.

She began to think intensely about the council scheduled for later that day, imagining a hundred and one things that could go wrong. She had high hopes for the second meeting but she was equally aware of the potentially looming disaster. Elsa wanted nothing more than to sit down with the council and hammer out an entirely new constitution for Arendelle; one that would reignite trade throughout the kingdom and overseas as well as rewrite the laws and courts which had not been updated in more than one hundred years from what she had read.

As her mind continued to wander her thoughts soon turned elsewhere and she found herself thinking about Zack and what he had said during her last visit. _He called my powers a gift, more special than I knew_. Was he being completely honest or was he trying to deceive her; and to what end? She could not think of any reason why he would want to do harm to her and he instead appeared more than willing to help her in any way he could. But perhaps more importantly was how he had seemed completely unfettered by her powers, _like it was normal to him,_ and when she looked into his eyes she could not help but trust him. His smile brought equal comfort and lest she forget about his touch _and that sensation; oh to feel that again. _

A soft but striking knock on her bedroom door quickly brought Elsa back to reality as she opened her eyes and realized her hands had been slowly exploring her body as she lay lost in thought. Finding their way from her chest and rubbing her soft skin down to her stomach they had been slowly heading south. She jolted forward as she heard a more forceful second knock and quickly shook herself out of the self-induced trance. "One moment please!" She jumped out of bed to find her top wrapped around her chest and revealing her midriff where her fingers had been playing. She quickly straightened herself out and ran her hands through her hair, pushing it back behind her shoulders. Opening the door she found Anna standing before her with a small smile, still wearing her own sleeping gown and looking like she had just fallen out of bed with her hair in a tangled mess.

"Good morning Elsa," she said softly, "can I come in?"

"Is something wrong?"

"No not exactly – I just wanted to talk a little before we face the council again today. May I come in?"

"Oh – of course."

"Thanks." Anna walked through the doorway and immediately began to look around with a confused look. _Crap_, Elsa thought, _the room is still freezing_. In her haste to answer the door she had forgotten the cool temperature and quickly walked over to the stove to remedy it.

"A little cold in here don't you think?" Anna remarked, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Yeah sorry about that," Elsa replied cranking up the stove. "So what's up?"

Anna took a seat on Elsa's unmade bed and placed her hands in her lap carefully, allowing her feet to dangle a couple inches off the floor. "Well I – I wanted to talk about our father."

"Our father?" Elsa echoed, taking a seat beside her sister.

"I have overheard some of the staff talking about him – and not much of it is good Elsa."

Elsa sighed and looked down at the floor, her hands rubbing themselves slowly and methodically. "I know."

"You know?"

"When I spoke with Marcus during the winter festival, he told me not everyone viewed our father as well as we may have." Anna shifted on the bed to turn more to her sister with a curious face and waited patiently for her to explain more.

Elsa continued after a few moments. "He said I should refrain from even mentioning him at the council. Marcus himself did not seem too fond of father either and I think I can understand why."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean the more I have read, the more I've seen that he had never been popular outside of Amsterdam and he eventually did something that upset Marcus as well."

Anna's eyes widened and looked at her sister with intense fascination as she spoke softly. "What did he do?"

"I don't know – but I intend to find out. I suspect it had something to do with a foreign nation, judging from Marcus's focus on trade."

"I heard some of the staff say father actually held some well-guarded secrets from everyone," Anna replied softly, "even mother." At the mentioning of their mother both sisters paused for a moment. Elsa remembered her smile, the sweet embrace of her hugs and the strong motherly love she had given to her and Anna, even after their separation. Anna glanced down at her sister's chest and saw the necklace sitting carefully around her neck and resting outside of her shirt. "You really like that thing don't you?"

"Huh?" Elsa looked down at herself. "Oh this, yeah I think it may have some significance."

"Like what?"

"Dunno, but I have seen this symbol elsewhere and it might be an emblem for an organization – or even a kingdom."

"Really? You think it's a good idea for the queen to be wearing a necklace from a foreign nation?"

"And that's why I do this," Elsa smiled and retuned it beneath her shirt.

"But why hang onto it?" Anna continued to probe now having almost completely forgotten why she had come in.

"Because I uh, I think I might know someone can tell me more about it."

At the change in Elsa's voice Anna immediately knew who she was referring to and a wide smile quickly spread across her face. "Ah you mean your secret friend that you don't know a thing about."

"Yes – him," replied Elsa, trying not her best not show her excitement of simply discussing Zack.

"What is with _him_ anyways? Since when have you gotten so mushy about anyone?"

Elsa quickly stood up and began to pace the floor in front of her sister slowly, running her hands through her hair and pulling it back over her shoulders.

"Look Anna, I want to say something to you but I need it stay in confidence between us okay?"

"Of course Elsa, who would I tell?"

Elsa ignored the question and took a deep breath. "I am jealous of you."

Anna was immediately confused and involuntarily tilted her head to the side looking at her sister. "Excuse me?"

Elsa could only look at Anna through the corner of her eye as she instead maintained her focus on the stove which had now returned the room to a more comfortable temperature.

"You and Kristoff, I – I thought it wouldn't bother me."

"What are you talking about?" Anna asked, slightly more forcibly than she intended. She had never once thought about what affects her relationship with Kristoff would have on her sister.

Now appearing to explain it to herself out loud, Elsa continued to pace the floor while keeping her eyes in front of her. "My entire life has been about nothing more than following in our parent's footsteps and assuming the throne. Since my coronation I have been consumed by the political talks and the diplomacy – and I – I'm terrified that this is all there is for me. I thought I could handle it, I thought I could focus on it, but I can't Anna – and I just need a friend." A long pause left the pair in silence with only Elsa's words left to fill the void.

"I thought I was your friend," Anna finally replied slowly, looking at her sister with large swollen eyes on the verge of tears.

"Of course you are Anna," Elsa replied quickly, turning to her sister and taking her hands in hers. "But just as Kristoff has brought you comfort, so too have I felt the same from Zack. I want to learn more about myself and I think he might be the help I need."

"Elsa I – I don't know what to say."

Elsa offered a light smile. "You don't have to say anything." She knelt down in front of her sister and allowing Anna with tearing eyes to bury her face in her sister's hair as they took into each other's arms. "I'm so sorry," Anna muffled into Elsa's shoulder. "I had no idea."

"It's okay Anna I promise" They continued to hold each other for several more moments until another knock came on the bedroom. Elsa looked up to see the time and realized they would be expected downstairs for breakfast in a few minutes. "Anna I –"

"My lady?"

"Yes be there in a moment," Elsa replied to the polite voice outside and slowly stood from her sister. "We better get going."

Anna looked up with her eyes now drying. "Okay but – what can I do to help you Elsa? I mean I can't bear knowing you are feeling like this."

Elsa had begun rummaging through her wardrobe and pulling out a few modest pieces of clothing to wear for the day's council. "Let's just focus on making it through today in one piece and we can talk about Zack soon enough okay?"

"Understood – and Elsa?"

"Yes Anna?"

"I'm sorry."

Elsa could only smile as she began to undress. "You said that already."

* * *

With the sun now setting in the western sky Elsa stood looking out her window, nursing a splitting headache. Having dismissed the council less than an hour ago, she was relieved to be by herself again, savoring the silence around her while cursing the throbbing pain radiating from her forehead. Trying desperately to take her mind off of what she had endured today, she had not realized until now that she had a clear view of Esbern's bookstore from her room and she peered at it carefully, seeing a few people enter and leave the shop.

_Now or never_, she thought to herself as she turned around. With her key in hand Elsa walked to the door of her room and closed it carefully behind herself. She heard the satisfying click as her hand turned the key, locking the door and sealing her room closed. Without wasting a moment she walked at a brisk pace down the hallway, being mindful of incoming footsteps. It wasn't that she was afraid of being caught outside of her room, lord knows she had every right to be. But there was one person she was afraid of running into tonight and with any luck that person was in her own room, cooling off from the day's meeting.

As Elsa made her way to the courtyard she could see three guards standing idly by the front gate chatting privately. Feeling like a prisoner inside her own home once again she sighed and walked slowly towards them. She was relieved to recognize one of them as the guard Henry who had found her in the library and quickly figured he would be cooperative. As the three guards saw the Queen approaching they stood at attention and waited for her to speak first.

"Gentlemen," she began, "how are we doing this fine evening?"

"Very good my lady and how are you?"

"Just wonderful," she lied, "listen I have to make a quick run across town, can I get Henry here to be my escort to appease the Captain?" She looked at the young guard and smiled lightly. Henry was surprised by the Queen's direct request but quickly agreed and accompanied her out the gate.

Elsa turned to Henry as they walked across the bridge and saw him looking around them towards the town. "Something the matter?" she asked him.

"No ma'am, to be honest I am just surprised to see so many people out and about, it's usually not this busy."

Elsa smiled, "maybe things are improving after all."

"It would seem so. Can I ask where we are headed ma'am?"

"Remember when you found me in the library a few weeks ago?"

"I do."

"Well I am going to see a friend who will hopefully be able to help me with my research."

"And what research is that," Henry asked curiosity as they rounded the corner onto the boardwalk.

"Learning more about myself," Elsa admitted to the guard. "Now I'm going to have to ask for a favor from you."

Henry looked at the Queen with a slightly concerned look but waited for her to explain.

"I may be there a while and I don't want to draw any...unnecessary attention from having a castle guard waiting idly by. So after we get there I want you head to the nearby pub, get yourself a drink."

"Ma'am I don't think -"

"Don't worry about it," Elsa replied as her headache flared up again, "they pose no threat and when I'm all set I know where to find you. Deal?"

Henry reluctantly agreed as they continued walking. Upon reaching their destination, Elsa approached the door of _Bayside Literature_ and turned the handle; locked. Without hesitating she knocked loudly on the door hoping someone inside would be within earshot. A few seconds passed before she tried again and began to hear footsteps approaching. Before knocking a third time she heard a single lock being turned and opened before the wooden door slowly swung open.

"Well look who it is," said the man standing before Elsa. "You lost stranger?"

"Maybe," Elsa replied with a small smile. "May I come in?"

"Of course, mind your step."

She thanked him and turned to Henry standing behind her. "So I will see you a little later yeah?"

"Of course ma'am," he replied before turning in the direction of the pub.

"Come on in Elsa," Henry heard the man say to the Queen behind him. _Must be a close friend_, he thought to himself, surprised to hear the Queen addressed informally outside the castle. Elsa meanwhile followed the young man as he led her into the shop and to the fireplace which contained a small flame keeping the room lit. Around them sat several thick candles also lit and showing evidence of extensive use.

"Now," Zack said as he took a seat, "what shall we talk about?"

Elsa chuckled lightly as she followed suit and plopped into the chair opposite him. "Where do I even begin," she asked looking beyond him towards the doorway of the kitchen. "Is Esbern here?"

"He's upstairs," replied Zack, "should be down shortly. Can I get you anything?"

"You have anything that can kill this headache?" Elsa asked reaching for her forehead again.

"I think I know of a few drinks that could help with that," he replied, taking a sip of his own drink that was resting on the nearby table.

Elsa laughed lightly, "I just might take you up on that offer." Before she could continue she heard the sound of footsteps shuffling down the staircase slowly and a few moments later saw the other man she had come to see.

"Good evening Esbern," she greeted the old man cheerfully and quickly stood up from her chair.

"Ah Lady Elsa, such a pleasure to see you again," the man replied as he reached his chair. "Please don't stand on my account," motioning for her to return to her seat.

"I am glad to see you too," Elsa replied taking her seat and rubbing her forehead again. "There is so much I want to discuss with you both."

"Yes of course," Esbern said. "Zachary and I would be more than happy to hear what is on your mind."

"Okay well let me start with the big one. Last time I was here Zack said you might be able to tell me something about myself…and my powers." The men looked at each other and Elsa could tell they had discussed the subject heavily before her arrival. Zack gave Esbern a small nod and the old man cleared his throat.

"I think it would be best for you to tell me what you know first my dear," he began, placing his elbows on the armrests of the chair and his chin upon his hands.

"Oh uh okay," Elsa replied looking down at her own hands in her lap. "Well I – I've had them for as long as I can remember. My mother and father told me I was born with them and that they were unlike anything they had ever seen before. They wouldn't admit it but I think they really were afraid of me and I've come to believe that is the main reason they closed the gates. I hurt Anna I know, but I always thought it was more than that and I – I need to know more."

"Yes well, did your parents ever mention to you where they thought your powers might have come from?"

"Not exactly, my father did seem to speak with the rock trolls about it and it was them that saved my sister after I hurt her." As Elsa mentioned the rock trolls she noticed the smallest of glimmers in Esbern's eyes and she could tell he had heard of them before.

"And tell me about that," he asked her, "do you remember what happened exactly?"

"Anna and I had snuck out of bed one night and played in the ballroom. I had used my powers to create snow and ice but it got out of hand and I accidentally hit my sister with a blast. My father brought us to Pabbie, the uh, the leader of the rock trolls, and he performed some kind of healing spell on her that saved her life."

"And it was after that that your father closed the gates?"

"Yes, he was convinced that concealing it and keeping me out of the public eye was the best way to control it."

"And we all know how that turned out," Zack commented, smiling at Elsa.

"So what do you think?" Elsa asked. "What can you tell me?"

Esbern looked at her carefully for a few moments, almost seeming to look inside her head and Elsa began to feel self-conscious as she waited for him to respond. She looked to Zack who sat by patiently and took another sip from his drink.

"Tell me more about these rock trolls," Esbern finally replied carefully, "what do you know about them?"

Elsa thought about the question for a moment before responding. "Not much actually. They live in the Gilmore Forest outside of town. They seemed to know about my powers and my father trusted them enough to help Anna. Her friend Kristoff would probably be better equipped to tell you more about them; they actually adopted him at a young age."

"Really?" replied Esbern curiously. "What happened to his parents?"

"He doesn't remember."

"I see, and where is he now?"

"He was staying with Anna at the castle with us but I had to ask him to take a short leave a couple weeks ago because of the council. He went back to his cabin in the Gilmore Forest but I am hoping to have him back in the castle soon."

"And why is that?"

"Well I – I enjoyed having his company in the castle," Elsa replied as her eyes slowly shifted towards Zack. "It was good having someone else living with us and he makes my sister very happy."

Esbern smiled as he saw where her attention was turning. "I understand. Do you think he would be willing to talk about them a little more upon his return?"

"I don't see why not," Elsa replied, returning her focus to the old man. "They are a curious bunch; my sister told me Kristoff called them the love experts." She chuckled to herself and felt her head throb again. "You know what Zack I think I will take you up on that drink, my head is still kicking."

"Sure," he replied, "follow me." They stood up and walked to the small kitchen at the back of the shop, leaving Esbern alone with his thoughts by the fire.

Once inside the kitchen Elsa turned to look behind her and saw Esbern stand up to tend to the fire as Zack began to fix her drink. "Hey so let me ask you," she said to him, keeping her voice low so Esbern could not overhear. "Are you ever going to tell me where you're from?"

He chuckled lightly as he handed her the drink. "You really want to know don't you?"

"Of course," she replied, taking the glass from him and inspecting it. "Are you afraid to tell me? Afraid I might send you on the next ship home?"

"Not really," he smiled, "it's just too much fun keeping you guessing."

"Is that so," replied Elsa. With a smirk on her face she focused on the glass in her hand and Zack quickly saw frost radiating from her hand and spreading around the glass, chilling her drink. She took a sip and smiled as she tasted the sweet cherry flavoring. "In that case you have to do something for me instead."

"And what is that?"

"Don't flinch." Before he could ask what she meant, Elsa quickly placed her glass on the nearby counter and grabbed his forearms with both hands.

"What are you doing?" He immediately asked while maintaining his footing and allowing her to hold him.

"Testing a theory," she replied with a smile and proceeded to close her eyes gently. Elsa quickly began to feel the sensation she had been craving since the last time she had seen him. As a wave of warmth and pure comfort radiated through her, she was now convinced that her suspicions were correct. _So this is what I have been missing_.

"Are you – "

"Do my hands feel cold to you?" She interrupted him quickly, opening her eyes and staring into his. "Do they?"

"No…should they?"

Elsa laughed softly, "Unbelievable." Without another word she leaned into him to placed her lips on his, locking them together. The look of surprise in his eyes quickly changed to that of submission and as she removed her hands from his arms, he placed them carefully around her waist. She allowed him to hold her for a moment before releasing him and stepping back, a wide smile spread across her face. "Well guess what? My headache is gone."

Zack collected his thoughts for a moment and looked out into the shop towards Esbern before speaking. "Well good to know what makes your headaches go away," he said turning to Elsa again.

She continued to smile and grabbed her drink from the counter and took another sip, the contents of the glass still well chilled. "That had nothing to do with it."

"So what do we do now?" Zack asked looking for her to make the next move.

"Now we find out what Esbern knows – and what you know."

Before Zack could object she was already heading back into the shop, drink in hand. _Well I'll be damned_, Zack smiled to himself as he followed Elsa, _there is more to this girl than I thought_.

"Ah there you two are," Esbern said as he saw the pair return from the kitchen behind him.

"Got my drink." Elsa said with a smile to him and returned to her seat. She sat up straight and crossed her legs. "Now gentlemen," she said in her now standard formal speaking voice, the smile wiping from her face. "I have told you quite a bit and now I have some questions of my own. What _exactly_ do you know about my powers?"

It was Esbern's turn to smile again as he took a long breath. "As Zachary may have already explained, your powers are quite special and unique, not only by their existence but also by their nature. The world is quite vast as you may know, and there are lands where societies are inherently born with magic, similar to yours. These individuals however, are not human like us."

Elsa was immediately transfixed by what the old man was saying as she involuntarily leaned in towards him, her drink still in her hands.

"Now as humans we can learn magic, to control and use it. But what makes you particularly special my dear, aside from that you were apparently born with magic, is that it seems your powers are connected to your emotions, something which is also quite unheard of."

"My god," Elsa exclaimed softly. As Zack looked at her he could see her eyes darting back and forth frantically, the figurative wheels in her hear spinning and trying to comprehend what Esbern was explaining to her. After a few silent moments she finally managed to respond. "How do…humans learn magic?" She asked carefully, surprised by her own question.

"Books, scrolls," replied Esbern. "Most however are opposed to it, they fear it."

Elsa was immediately hit with memories from her coronation and the reaction she had received when her powers were accidentally revealed. Was this the true reason her father had locked her away in the castle? Did he fear her too? She did not want to jump to conclusions but this was definitely sounding more and more plausible.

"Are there different kinds of magic?"

"Of course," replied Esbern, looking up at the ceiling as he tried to recall. "There is snow and ice like what you have, fire, lightening, illusion – "

"I think I have seen those books!" she said to him excitedly as she remembered the display case in the library.

"Have you?" Esbern replied with interest. "Where was that?"

"In a collection in the castle's library, a collection my father personally placed!" Elsa was now almost jumping out her chair as she began putting the pieces together in her head.

"Well that's interesting," Zack commented as he saw how excited Elsa had gotten once again. "You think we could get a look at that collection?"

"Oh definitely," replied Elsa quickly. "It was locked with a key that even the captain of the guards didn't have – but I found."

"That is good to hear my dear," Esbern said. 'And this will certainly help to further provide explanation."

Elsa smiled proudly as she leaned back in her chair and continued to mull over what had just been explained to her. She found the entire idea of non-human beings to be completely absurd but then again, could she think of any better explanation? Once again she could not help but believe what Esbern was telling her and it certainly seemed like her powers (_my magic?_) was quite unique. This unfortunately did not answer the question of how she received them. Indeed maybe Pabbie could shed some light in that regard and Elsa was slightly annoyed that she had not thought of this sooner.

As she continued to think her view came upon the drawing table in the corner of the shop. A single candle sat atop the shelf nearby, casting a light glow atop the maps which remained sprawled out on the surface. Without asking Elsa rose from her seat and carefully walked between the littered bookcases, being careful not to bump into anything and risk toppling over the entire store. Upon reaching the table she approached it carefully, almost treating it like it was booby-trapped. Sense no danger and hearing no protest from either gentleman behind her, she took another step forward to place her hands on either side of the surface and began to inspect the top-most map carefully.

As she expected it became immediately clear that this was not a map of Arendelle. The regions and geographical landmarks were not drawn in any configuration that even remotely resembled her kingdom. It did however seem to depict a distant land that was geographically similar with several large mountain ranges drawn out in addition to sweeping canyons and fields. One mountain in particular, _The Throat of the World, _seemed to be depicted as quite high above the rest of the region and Elsa wondered if it was even higher than the North Mountain. Elsewhere several towns and villages were crudely drawn and labeled scattered all across the map._ Whiterun_ and _Solitude _seemed to be two of the most important towns with several roads drawn leading to them and quite a few smudge marks from hand drawn markings also littering the map. _I bet this is where they're from, _Elsa thought to herself as she reached to lift up the map and saw an identical map beneath it, this one featuring numerous circles drawn in remote parts of the map, some crossed off and others with a question mark.

Before she could ask her hosts about the maps she heard a loud knocking on the door to the shop. She listened carefully as Zack rose from his chair to greet the visitor outside.

"Good evening sir," said the familiar voice, "I need speak to Lady Elsa, it's urgent."

"What is Henry?" Elsa asked the guard as she turned from the table and began walking back through the bookshelves.

"It's Princess Anna, she's 'erm – ran away."

"She did what?" Elsa exclaimed, convinced she had completely misunderstood the young guard.

Henry handed her the piece of paper he held in his hand and Elsa immediately recognized it as letterhead from her office as she took it from him quickly. "One of the caste's staff had gone to her room and found this letter." Elsa's eyes scanned the paper frantically as Zack waited patiently next to her.

"Son of a bitch!" The Queen exclaimed as she ripped the paper from her view and looked back towards the guard.

"What does it say?" asked Zack.

"She ran off to Kristoff!" Elsa exclaimed as she whipped her head towards him and held the paper like it was on fire. "I don't believe it."

"Why would she do that?" Zack asked curiously, trying to get a quick glance of the paper that Elsa still held in her hand.

"Because," replied Elsa. "The council really chewed her out this morning. Like I said, they were none too pleased I had essentially given Kristoff a free pass to live in the castle and damned if I'm not paying for it now."

"Do you want to go after her?" Zack asked cautiously.

"Oh Anna would absolutely love that," Elsa scoffed. "No, I am more than happy with allowing my guards to do their job and collect her." She turned towards Henry who was standing in the doorway, nervously awaiting the Queen's orders.

"Let's go," she said to the guard, motioning for him to lead her outside.

"Where are we going ma'am?"

"Back home of course." Elsa turned to look behind her. "Gentlemen, I will see you later. And Zack? Thanks for not flinching." A small smile indicated what she was referring to as she proceeded to leave the shop with the guard. Zack remained in the doorway as he saw Elsa and guard leaving back for the castle. "Good night Elsa," he said softly to himself before walking back inside.

"How did they know where to find you?" Elsa asked Henry as they walked at a brisk pace down the boardwalk back to the castle.

"Excuse me ma'am?"

"Weren't you at the pub like I asked?"

"N-no ma'am I was not," he replied nervously, keeping his gaze away from her.

"You didn't trust me?"

"No it's nothing like that!" He replied quickly, now looking at her as they reached the castle's bridge. "I am sworn to protect you even if that means disobeying your own orders." He was amazed his voice remained as calm as it had with his heart feeling like it would burst out of his chest at any moment, his nerves at their limit as he feared what she might say next.

"Relax", the Queen said as if reading his mind. "I understand, and thank you."

The pressure in Henry's chest immediately deflated and he exhaled loudly with a relieved smile as they reached the castle's front gate. Awaiting them stood Captain Korvo who Elsa now believed never actually slept and was instead on duty around the clock. He was once again quite alert and promptly greeted her as she approached. "There you are ma'am, I trust Henry filled you in on the details?"

"He did," Elsa replied, coming to a stop in front of the Captain who stood at roughly the same height as her. "I take it you have already dispatched a team to retrieve her?"

"Not yet, they will be leaving shortly."

"Okay good," replied Elsa. "I would like them to collect both my sister and as well as Kristoff."

"Ma'am?"

"Today's council proved to me that the members do not actually care about who is residing with us but are instead merely fishing for reasons to attack me and my sister, and I refuse to give them the satisfaction. So please, instruct your guards to bring both of them home to the castle as soon as possible."

"Understood my lady."

Upon reaching her quarters Elsa once again found herself pacing the floor of her room. _What were you thinking Anna?_ Her sister certainly had every right to be upset from the remarks made at the council but that sure as hell did not give her a legitimate excuse to run away from home. For the princess of a kingdom to willingly flee from her castle was no laughing matter and it was once again making Elsa's head spin from just thinking about the political ramifications of this.

_Not even Marcus can back me up on this one_, Elsa thought to herself as she managed to pry herself away from the patter she was marching on the floor. She walked to her window and peered across the bay just in time to see the light of the bookstore dissipate as the windows went dark. She reached up to place her right hand on the glass, wishing she could reach out to hold Zack once more. _Damn you Anna_, Elsa thought as she turned from the window, leaving a frost encrusted handprint on the window that would remain well into the following morning.

* * *

**A/N:** For those who have been following the story so far I thank you and encourage you to let me know what you think. This updated chapter is a mashup of the previous 7 & 8 I had posted a week or so ago. In addition, just about all of the other chapters have been slightly tweaked or updated as well. Rest assured the plot and major details have not changed and I will posting an all new chapter before the month is out. I expect (HOPE!) to finish the story completely by the end of August.


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